Superstar Sleeze

Bingo all about the Twitter/social media presence before debate. That's the only reason they want people to watch live. Smart booking.

Shinya Hashimoto vs Kazuo Yamazaki - NJPW G-1 Climax '98 Finals Hashimoto is going for his first ever G-1 Climax victory. NJPW booking as it has been explained to me is that Hashimoto was IWGP Champion of the 90s, Chono was the G-1 Climax winner of the Musketeers and Mutoh was sort of the gimmicky star, blood feud guy with a little of both IWGP/G-1 Climax wins in the 90s. Yamazaki is a former UWF shoot-style wrestler that I have never seen before and damn did he look good in this. Having read other reviews, Hashimoto is coming in with a bad left leg (his striking leg) from his semi-final match with Kojima. If you pay close attention to the beginning when Yamazaki gets an armbar takedown, after Hash quickly escapes he comes up favoring the leg. This led me to look up what had happened. Yamazaki like a shark smells blood and starts wailing on the leg with kicks. Hashimoto's strategy seems to be to use the overhand chop to quite literally chop Yamazaki down and then set up his kicks. Hashimoto sells really, really well. Some of the best fightinfg through the pain selling, you will ever see, Also he gradually sells more and more. As the match goes on, he is less and less likely to throw a kick. Yamazaki's offense which in I love is to lunge at the knee at every opportunity. These are not the chop blocks from behind, but from the front even leading with the head and the knee is NOT supposed to bend like that. I will say it does get a little stagnant. Hashimoto does not seem to have a strategy to win the match at first. Even though he is in control, it feels very defensive due to the bum wheel. He is fending off Yamazaki more than taking charge. Match picks up once Yamazaki gets a dragon leg screw and Hashimoto ends up on the outside and Yamazaki does a plancha to the outside. Love when people use their body as a weapon. Nice legbar by Yamazaki. Hashimoto gets the ropes. Hashimoto tries kicking Yamazaki with his bad leg (he has no other choice) and ends up back in a kneebar. I like that. There is a difference between doing something stupid and blowing off selling. Hashimoto was selling, it was just stupid, but we all do stupid things under pressure and injured. Hashimoto needs a Hail Mary at this point something targeting the head. He gets that in the form of a massive enziguiri. The move is made by Yamazaki's selling. Awesome groggy out on my feet selling by him. Slop Drop and WAIT! Whats this Hashimoto is heading to the top...A MONSTER TOP ROPE ELBOW FROM THE BIG MAN!!!! Popped huge on the airplane (watched this on a JetBlue flight, what a time to be alive!). Hashimoto unloads on him with some massive kicks and then BRINABUSTAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! HASHIMOTO WINS HIS FIRST G-1 CLIMAX!!!! Incredible, back to basics, fundamentals pro wrestling match, no frills, just kills. It is what Hasimoto & NJPW excel at. The leg injury was an awesome hook, which both wrestlers took a unique take on (no real heat segment) that really impact every moment of the match. I love matches where the wrestler in control feels really tenuous. You just knew at any time Hashimoto knee would give way and Yamazaki would take over. Submissions were hot and the headshot was a great transition to Hashimoto finish run. In a match with only two highspots they made the most of it with the top rope elbow and Brainbuster. Little stagnant in the middle and could have used one more Yamazaki nearfall to really bring it up. Killer minimalist match and one of Hashimoto's best of all time. ****1/2

Charles, Mutoh being perched on the rope annoyed the fuck out of me as well. Do something! Genichiro Tenryu vs Keiji Mutoh - NJPW G-1 Climax 98 First Round Never seen late 90s NWO Mutoh before. Thought he gave his usual uneven performance albeit the good outweighed the bad. Tenryu was pretty awesome in this. Very dickish. Like the short stuff kick Mutohs face when he releases hold or drops down with his body weight on Mutoh's legs on a drop down. People complain about Tanahashi's strikes but at least he has good form he just doesn't hit very hard. Mutoh has atrocious form on some of these strike exchanges. Tenryu looks in common toying with Mutoh then ramping up violence. Mutoh finally uses his one big advantage speed and hits a drop kick. They end up on the outside with Tenryu using strength to win the day. He is going to something off top rope onto Mutoh laying on the floor. Mutoh stops him and SUPER ACE CRUSHER!!! This mistake by Tenryu allows Mutoh to target the leg 2001 style. Really good usual Mutoh leg offense that leads to the figure-4 and just like that Mutoh looks poised to win. At some point Mutoh just sits perched on the top rope waiting for Tenryu to get up forever. So infuriating. Really takes you out of it. Mutoh goes for his patented back handspring elbow but gets chopped in the back of the head. Great spot to get Tenryu back in it. Liked Mutoh flash Frankensteiner as a retort. Then Mutoh gets weird laying around not doing much just letting Tenryu do stuff. Tenryu selling on first Powerbomb is good. Mutoh last hope spot is a Frankensteiner out of a Powerbomb and does put up a fight before what I think is the final Powerbomb. So my video cut out on what looked like a kick out by Mutoh before the 3 but every review I have read cites a controversial finish. So I'm guessing this is it. Nowhere near their 2001 match. I thought it told a pretty good story of Tenryu being a dick and controlling match early. He makes mistake of going to top and Super Ace Crursher was a great turning point. Mutoh looked inspired to work leg. Finish felt tacked on with not much in the way of transitions or good selling. Majority was pretty great. ***1/2

Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu - NJPW G1 Climax 98 Quarterfinals For my money the 93/94 series between these is the best thing NJPW heavies put on in the 90s. We revisit the series in 98 with the return of Tenryu to the promotion. Is WAR dead? Feels like Valentine vs Garvin, two stand up, hard noses ornery muthafuckas going blow for blow. Thought the selling is what really made this feel big. Tenryu's calm contempt vs the fiery rage of Hashimoto. Tenryu punching Hashimoto in the face anytime he was trouble was great. Really works because how sparse closed fists are in puroresu. I thought they did go back to strike exchange too often and after while it felt like the match just was not progressing. Tenryu's kappa kick changed that. Is taking a Tenryu Powerbomb the scariest thing ever? I'm surprise he did not Ganso Bomb Hashimoto. For some reason Tenryu goes up top, Hash hits a spin wheel kick as he dives. Seems weird for Tenryu to do that. Hashimoto unloads with kicks and DDTs to win. Definitely in the vain of a Greg Valentine Match intense, simple and hard hitting. Felt bigger due to the personalities involved. Selling was really good. The basic finish stretch was refreshing after watching so much AJPW. Lack of progression in first ten minutes hurt it. It is Hash vs Tenryu, it is gonna be WAR! ****1/4

Kenta Kobashi vs Hiroshi Hase - AJPW 8/26/97 Hase in All Japan! Kobashi working a Hase style match (Double Hot Take that no one has ever had )! This match made me want to watch some New Japan heavies from the 90s. Loved the contrast, Hase being a technical wizard on the mat stretching Kobashi and really working those holds well. Kobashi uses his strength at times like the chops in holds or when it is a strength move like a surfboard, but for the most part Hase is in control on the mat by keeping it to his strengths. Great example of this is Kobashi using the surfboard a hold that suits him and Hase using a drop toehold to get out showing his technical ability. Love the leg work by Hase. Hase getting into a chop battle seems like bad for business for Hase. Big knees and delayed vertical for Kobashi. Picking up steam and Hase picks the leg and ends up into a stump pulller, which my non-wrestling fan looked over to my computer at that point and just shaked his head. Bad time to look over. Hase tries to go back to the leg, but abandons it to go up top, high risk. Superplex and now Kobashi wants a Boston Crab and Hase has a nutty reversal, awesome, loving this contrast of style. Ahhhhhh Kobashi was going for a Giant Swing. Shows it is not just power but technique to do it as he does not do it well. Hase ends up doing the Giant Swing and is way better at it of course he has a lot more practice. Great dueling leg psychology develops with Hase going for the Scorpion Deathlock, but Kobashi reverses into a kneebar. Hase does some great selling but goes back for knee and gets the Deathlock and then Figure-4 and they fall out. Hase goes into a chop battle, not smart and Kobashi wins, but when he goes for Powerbomb. He collapses. Hase gets missile dropkick and figure-4 back in ropes. Kobashi tries to engage in a chop battle but Hase is wily and hotshots Kobashi and gets a Dragon Suplex. Exploder attempt, but Kobashi hits a half nelson suplex. Feels like a huge moment unlike Misawa/Kawada. Kobashi and Hase milk it and Kobashi geta great dramatic cover. Hase actually gets a ton down the stretch way more than I expected. He goes back to the knee and sets up the Exploder and gets a good nearfall. They are going longer than they need to and the heat is diminishing. Kobashi gets a Samoan Drop off the top, Hase shouldn't try to fly. Hase kinda sucking at selling down the stretch after the powerbombs by Kobashi. They do he might do an Exploder before the Burning Lariat! The first 90% of this is absolute gold. One of the best examples of a wily, technical wizard vs a powerhouse. Both are capable in each other's fields to make it work, but they make everything work around this. Hase uses scientific holds to transition out and Kobashi does his best when he can muscle and steamroll Hase. I felt the end was a bit flat because they tacked on too much of a typical AJPW finish stretch. I think the Dragon Suplex and an Exploder after the knee attack was great, but Kobashi there was a lot of superfluous minutes in there (Kobashi moonsault attempts, Hase STO). It was never excessive, just longer than it needed to be. Awesome, awesome first 90%, but last 10% kinda feels flat and just not totally in line with the uniqueness of the first 90%. Cool to see Kobashi basically wrestler a NJPW heavies match. Highly recommended to watch for uniqueness and well-done clash of styles match. ****1/4

fxnj, I am not against the selling of the three backdrop drivers or Misawa being checked on the doctor that's not doing anything. It is that Misawa launches a comeback after being on the outside being checked on by the doctor AND on the FOURTH BACKDROP DRIVER Misawa makes a comeback. It is just that Drivers feel meaningless. In a lot of ways I feel the match and the wrestlers lose credibility. Misawa does not look as resilient as Kawada looks like a choke, but you could argue that is his gimmick. The match becomes instead of organic just wrestlers forcing more headdrops in there. There are ways they could have better transitions. Kawada kicking Misawa in the face coming off the top is a way BETTER transition than somebody getting dropped on his head and just saying well now it is my turn. Missed moves and taking advantage of high risk moves. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW 6/6/97 Pretty morbid match given what happened to Misawa. Outside some BatBat maybe, this is by far the most brutal match I think I have ever watched. I had never seen this before, but I knew its rep for not being that good. Actually through the first half, even with some suspect stuff, I was a little perplexed about the criticism. Shit like Misawa hitting the Tiger Driver on the outside, doing nothing and Kawada just coming in and taking over was stupid. Pretty indefensible for two of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Once Kawada takes charge, he goes after the arm with gusto. This is totally in line with Kawada's strategy from previous battles using the cross armbreaker (it has been a while since I have watched the other matches, but I think this is a new weapon), really liked the stuff outside of the ring, railing shots and that axe kick. He goes back to the cross armbreaker, but Misawa quickly rolls through and knees him in the face brutally. Elbows and then a ridiculous Head Drop German. Like no arms to protect himself, Kawada took it right on his head. Cringe. Kawada fires up and kicks the bad arm and elbows Misawa. At least, he went after the elbow. The Kappo Kick to Misawa's neck is fucking vicious. Kawada brutalizes Misawa, we get the Misawa-rana on the powerbomb before Kawada hits the powerbomb. I would say at about this point match was salvageable and was going well (some poor transitions to get Kawada back in offense withstanding); then it went off the rails. Kawada hits a backdrop driver and Misawa rolls out leading to a powerbomb on the floor. I like the doctors checking on Misawa adds to the drama, but I don't really care for Misawa just firing up and working his way through Kawada slaps and kicking Kawada in the head. To me none of these moves and sequences have consequence. FOUR RIDICULOUS BACKDROP DRIVERS!!! Kawada gets stretch plum and an armbreaker/headscissors combo in between this. It is just ridiculous juxtaposed with all these headrops. I get that you have double up, triple up your offense in AJPW, but this is ridiculous and the fourth one has Misawa hitting a big elbow. This feels like a more violent, brutal WWE main event style match without the kickouts. So it makes it better than your WWE main event finish->kick out->lie around->finish->kick out repeat, but the flaws are so annoying. TWO TIGER SUPLEXES & THREE GERMANS (Kawada decides not take one on his head because fuck that)! Kawada collapses before the blowaway elbow. Kawada of course puts up token resistance before being demolished by elbows. No progression in the match, Kawada goes after the elbow. Once the doctors checked on Misawa, the match went way overkill. Doctor stoppage would have been interesting. Insane number of headdrops. The headrops just mean nothing now. They don't turn the tide. They don't win matches. They just pop, pop, pop the crowd. I enjoy brutal stiffness, but I like it to mean something and to be used sparingly. I hate that wrestlers put this selves through this and then I don't even enjoy it. It was not horrible, but it was not great. ***

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - Champions Carnival '97 6/3/94 is so fucking good that I think it overshadows every other Misawa/Kawada match which is unfair because they are pretty great together. This is one of the better 30 minute draws I have ever seen. Just hard hitting, brutal, straight forward, logical well-worked match. Liked the hot start and back drop driver by Kawada. Hated that Misawa came back so quickly with elbows. That should have been treated as a game changer (it initially was with Misawa selling and rolling to outside). Misawa worked really well on top early on and he was really bringing it to Kawada. Not a side we see often from Misawa. Loved Kawada's DDT as a transition. Neck work was brutal so many sick AXE KICKS~! Great selling by Misawa. Kawada does not hit anything too big but everything is focused on the neck like that awesome brainbuster. Misawa gets an elbow in corner and weird dropkick/lariat couldn't decide what he wanted. Somersault off apron put him in control as he is clutching his shoulder and neck. Interesting it is not really an extended comeback. No real hope spots just a transition into a pure Misawa finish run. I thought the segments were really long and there was a lot of time in between moves which does telegraph the draw, but I thought at the same time I liked them letting the spots breathe and milk that war of attrition. Misawa hits a Tiger Driver and facelock so that he can regain his own strength. Not as action packed, but very hard-hitting and has more of a war of attrition feel to it. Misawa really loved the Tiger Driver in this match and gets a Tiger Suplex with about ten minutes to go. Headrop German by Kawada changes the tide in his favor for the next seven minutes or so he DESTROYS Misawa and feeds into that choke artist character that he can finish him off even though Powerbombs the hell out of him on the floor. Kawada was an offensive powerhouse in this. Loved all the Misawa ranas in the ring to get out of the floor only for Kawada to hit a MONSTER POWERBOMB in the ring and pin him same style as 5/1/98, but this time Misawa kicked out. One of those enziguiris to Misawa was vicious, hit him flush in the face! With about a minute left, Misawa hits a WICKED Spinning Back Elbow that almost made the eyes pop out of my head and then that kappo kick to Kawada was nasty, but he couldn't get the win either. Tiger Suplex, 1, 2, NO! Kawada kappo kick, 1, 2, No! Draw! It was just fun to see Kawada really unload with offense in 1997. In 98 and 99 he has been great, but this has been an elite year in terms of excellent offense and really putting together effective matches. Misawa sold the neck well. I thought this had a different feel than most of their matches. That being said it was a little too much time in between moves. It was easy for me to zone in and out and not miss anything. The action was great and neck work was superb. Kawada's finish run was tons of fun. ****

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 9/6/97 Akiyama's first big match against Misawa for Triple Crown as his junior partner reminds me a lot of October 95 Kobashi match from booking but definitely not as much heat. Akiyama takes a cautious but assertive approach against Misawa he wins the early sequences. The best part of the first half was Akiyama hitting a ground to air drop kick on Misawa. Good impact great selling by misawa. First he tries to quickly get a tiger driver to stave off Akiyama but that gets turned into a backslide. So he goes to the corner and clutches his chest. Masterful sequence by Misawa. Misawa again goes for a Suplex this time into a leg bar. Akiyama goes for knee sets up head drop German not soon after Misawa pops up hit elbow. Here there is a little struggle on duplexes but Misawa mostly has his way with Akiyama. Flying body press and diving elbow look great but Akiyama is rag dolling. Like how Akiyama needs to hit two big strikes to take over. Head drop German gets no reaction...eek High knee...fire up...reaction...fans respond to emotion Exploder only two! Goes for super Exploder never give your opponent the High ground and Misawa beats him off and drop kick from middle rope. Akiyama hits an immediate head drop Exploder. Pretty much his strategy is to just drop Misawa on his head a lo a lot. Most head drops I've seen in this watching campaign. Misawa selling well mostly deadweight style, nice oosotigari counter on one. Piledriver!!! Lots of work on neck and head. Akiyama runs into a big back elbow and then ROARING ELBOW!!! Misawa is sweating profusely and looks like shit. Was he sick? Misawa takes about 4 minutes to demolish Akiyama with sickkkk elbows and a barrage of Tiger Drivers. Great offense but nothing that really stands out. Just kinda going through their offense. Which is great but without a hook, interesting layout kinda falls flat. Lots of head drops don't make up for it. ***1/2

Totally agree with Pete this some excellent usage of Choshu booking. Akira TAUE vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 1/20/97 Neat upset sprint! Noting spectacular in the ring but from a booking perspective just perfection. You get the double curveball of a 5 minute match and Akiyama's win. Akiyama goes all out and has come to play. TAUE realizes he is in a fight and starts busting out his big weapons, Akiyama catches hot shot but after big kicks and a wicked German it looked like TAUE has this in order. Akiyama might have started off too hot, high risk high reward strategy and it is backfiring against him. Until TAUE gets greedy and goes for Nodowa off apron which is high risk high reward. Love Akiyama half-dive/half-collapse into Taue's midsection and rolls back into the ring. The high knee/Exploder finish was wicked hot. Crowd popped huge on surprise three and Akiyama celebrated the big victory with gusto. TAUE kicked out right after three and kept his heat. Better booking than a match but a fun watch. ***

Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - AJPW RWTL Finals '97 Pretty big letdown after the awesomeness of the November match. This feels like more of your typical great AJPW tag. There is always a lot of energy and drama and cool moves, but it just felt more of run of the mill. Like I have seen this AJPW tag match before, where the last match had that awesome hook, everybody just killed it in the ring. Much slower start to this one, which is fine, the first big moment is Taue gets the NODOWA in the turnbuckles. Some good heat was built up on Misawa's neck. I love All Japan's use of the throw down as a counter to moves. Taue just throwing Misawa down disdainfully is great. TAUE PILEDRIVER! Taue gets greedy and wants the Nodowa off the apron. That's a really dangerous move for him and he ought to wait for when his prone opponent is trying to escape out there. By dragging Misawa out there, he does not know how injured Misawa is. It is a really high risk, high reward situation. Here he ends up off the apron and eating a somersault from Misawa. This allows Misawa to tag out. I wouldn't say Taue squandered the advantage completely but now with a fresh Akiyama it could be difficult. Akiyama is good firecracker; Taue one of the better tag wrestlers of all time muscles Akiyama into the corner. Brilliant tag wrestling, much smarter than the apron spot. Redeems himself. Fun little random amateur sequence with Akiyama and Kawada. I fucking love Kawada's spinning heel kick. Akiyama gets a dragon leg screw, but on suplex attempt, Taue hits the injured back and Kawada gets the bodyslam/kick combo. Taue has basically completely redeemed himself. He is did the outright cheap, dick thing and hit Akiyama in his bad back putting Holy Demon Army back in the drivers seat. Kawada does a great job collapsing on the way to tag Taue selling a SINGLE Dragon Screw Leg Whip. You respect the move and I will respect the match. Loved the massive suplex slam from Taue. Taue Scorpion Deathlock and Kawada stomps on Akiyama head before putting him in a deeeeeeeeepppppp Boston Crab. Misawa had saved on Scorpion Deathlock so Taue makes the heads up play to cut Misawa off at the pass here. Taue is wicked smart. Akiyama gets a desperation dropkick to Taue's knee and he is crawling and Kawada sprints over and stomps the back. AXE KICK~! Lord Have Mercy! Akiyama catches the foot and hits an elbow to tag out. Not the most exciting way to set up the hot tag. Misawa is awesome here. So much fire on those elbows love him catching Kawada spinning heel kick and THROWING HIM DOWN! Massive rana out of Taue powerbomb. Armdrag out of Nodowa. It is two on one, but Misawa don't give a fuck. Misawa is here to win. Misawa runs through his opening salvo of finish shit until Kawada hits that reverse kick on a German attempt. You cant German suplex Kawada. Taue hits a massive dropkick upon entering the ring and then when Misawa goes for a diving elbow, he throws him down on the mat. Taue has way more of a presence in this match. Misawa pops up and elbows Taue to tag out to AKiyama. It is transitions like that are robbing this from being an all-time great match. Akiyama's does really well with strikes, but cant do suplexes. This allows Taue to tag in Kawada. Akiyama MANS UP and hits Exploder on Kawada. Misawa & Akiyama are in the same bad spot as last time. Akiyama's back is fucked and Misawa had his one shot to win basically and blew it not hitting that German suplex on Kawada. Misawa hits a Tiger Driver on the constantly interfering Taue to give Akiyama some breathing room. Akiyama tags out. That's pretty smart. Lets see if Misawa can pull it off this time. Misawa is fired up and is barking out orders. I love this Misawa. Really cool sequence where Akiyama hits a German and then Misawa back rolls him into another German. American Alpha should do that. Taue comes in and hits a NODOWA on Misawa. That's the problem really for Misawa & Akiyama. Holy Demon Army are so good at turning tag matches in to handicap matches. Kawada tags out and Taue Nodowas Misawa into Akiyama, great spot. Akiyama act as a screen for Misawa elbow and Misawa tags out. I just don't feel like that is wise. I think Misawa should have tried to hang in there longer. Akiyama does well against Taue even hits a German and Misawa is there to cover him by firing off elbows to Kawada. Then Taue just throws Akiyama on that German. Ruh roh. Quick tag out by Taue very smart and Kawada pounces on that back with nasty knees and a wicked back drop driver. DANGEROUSSSSS! Kawada folds him in half with that powerbomb. Oh Kawada how I have missed you! Kawada hits an enziguiri on Misawa and STRETCH PLUM that's how he won the last match. Kawada lariat, Tag out, Dynamic Powerbomb, Misawa saves. I feel like Misawa is over selling. Like what he has really taken that is causing him to be so useless kayfabe. I like he flips both over on the Nodowa/Powerbomb with an armdrag/rana at the same time. ELBOWS GALORE! He is barking at Akiyama to make the tag, NODOWA ON AKIYAMA! Where the fuck is Misawa? Akiyama Exploder is last gasp, Big Time Nodowa and a BIG High Kick and Taue wins!?!?!? FInish came out of nowhere. Felt really abrupt. Where the fuck was Misawa? if I was Akiyama I get a new partner too. From a kayfabe strategy point of view, Misawa fucking blew it. Way to trigger happy to tag out to the injured Akiyama and then does not save him. Maybe Misawa was like me and was actually shocked that was the finish! Great, entertaining match, thought some transitions were weak kinda like hey this segment has gone on long enough lets go to next one. Back work was typically great and so was Akiyama's selling. Kawada was a monster again and Taue was the MVP of the match. What it came down to is there is no tag team better at turning a match into a handicap match like Holy Demon Army. They are the ultimate front-runners. They get a lead and they don't squander it. It is the exact opposite of Kawada the singles wrestler, the ultimate choke artist. By putting the team in a hole by maiming one wrestler, it makes the uninjured wrestler work doubly hard and ultimately he cant overcome both Kawada and Taue. Leaving Kawada and Taue in the winner's circle again and again. Great showcase for what makes Kawada & Taue great as a team, but leaves a lot to be desired. ****1/4

Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue) vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - AJPW 11/28/97 Holy shit! This was incredible! Like how I have never heard or seen this before, Tremendous individual performances by everybody. When Taue is the least impressive in a tag match, you know you are watching something really special. The urgency, the unique set up, the selling of Akiyama, the will to win from Misawa and the outright sadism of Kawada make this an elite AJPW tag match, which says a lot about this. This has to be a contender for the hottest opening two minutes in pro wrestling history. Just dripping with urgency and struggle. Both teams want to land a death blow early and they are all running around. Loved the double dropkick from the babyfaces, that massive Spinning Heel Kick by Kawada that sends Misawa to the apron. Of course, the climax, Taue depth charging Akiyama through the table. I love a match where the beginning matters. This beginning sets up everything. Misawa is left to fend for himself. This is a great heat segment on Misawa. Nice hope spot the reverse springboard headbutt but then realizes he is all alone with Akiyama still out over by the table. All by myself, don't wanna be all by myself. Good balance between Misawa showing life to stave off Holy Demon Army's big moves and Kawada & Taue kicking the shit out of him with their basic, but hard-hitting arsenal. It is basically a great Misawa extended comeback handicap style with the endgame being the hot tag. He finally tags out and Akiyama hits this massive diving elbow, but is clearly favoring his back. He tries Northern Lights but his back gives out. From there, you see some of the best back selling and back work you will ever see. It is cold and merciless as Kawada and Taue zero in on his back and just pound the shit out of it. One of the best vertical suplexes ever by Taue, Kawada stretches Akiyama and two double stomps to the back. Kawada RIFLES Akiyama's back with kicks. He sets up the stretch plum right in front of Misawa, cocky or just bad strategy. That "will he or wont he tag" is so dramatic and when Misawa gets the tag, if you don't get Misawa, this is the match to watch. He comes in just blasts muthafuckas with that elbow. You really feel that sense of pride and that sense that winning means everything to Misawa. I love how he elbows Kawada off the apron of one side of the ring and then goes flying out the other side of the ring with a diving elbow. Insane sequence in terms of electricity. Tiger Driver for Kawada. Taue saves and here come the double teams on the isolated Misawa, NODOWA~! Misawa blocks the next two and a Tiger Driver allows him to tag. Lets see what Akiyama can do. Akiyama mans up hits Northern Lights but no bridge, Exploder and Kawada stomp his bad back on the cover. OW! Akiyama hits a massive high knee which I lost my shit for. Just a great babyface spot. Exploder attempt but Taue hits a Rock Bottom Nodowa. Massive Kawada bodyslam and kicks him really fucking hard in the back. In the background, Taue hits a DDT on Misawa on the exposed concrete so now it is Akiyama by himself. Akiyama has one less gasp when he tags Kawada in the head and Kawada drops ot his knees running the ropes (great Kawada selling) Dropkick to the back of the head, German, on second one, Kawada does his reverse kick to the bad back and Taue attacks the back. Wicked lariat, how is that not the finish. FUCKING HUGE AXE KICK TO THE BACK! That Powerbomb Goddamn! How s that not the finish. Misawa has nothing left and Akiyama succumbs to the best stretch plum ever. Everyone gives an all star performance. Best Kawada match that I have seen in forever. He has had great matches in 98-99, but not those next level performances that I remember when I ranked him #10 of all time. This was that next level extraordinary performance. Incredible sadistic, hard hitting, energetic, great selling down the stretch. One of the all time greats at working on top. Awesome selling by Akiyama. Misawa trying to dig the team out of the hole was awesome. Loved that early hook, that hot beginning and the table spot totally hook you in. Everything follows naturally and effortlessly from that. Really having trouble reasoning why this is not ***** so it is *****.

Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - Champions Carnival 1999 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. ****1/2

AJPW World Tag Team Champions Burning (Kobashi & Akiyama) vs Untouchables (Misawa & Ogawa) - 3/6/99 A match that is not really a part of the AJPW canon (in 99 I would say only Misawa vs Kawada 1/22 is a part of the canon due to Ganso Bomb), but has been highly praised upon the release of this yearbook. I watched and I thought it was great, but did not think it was the classic everyone made it out to be. Lets go to the match. Ogawa is definitely more of a babyface here in this match than Rat Boy of NOAH. He shows up Akiyama (his rival from last fall) on the mat and then throws him into Kobashi climaxes with a drop toehold. I love those types of sequences. Lots of fun. Both tag out. Misawa and Kobashi have a great sequence where Misawa elbows Kobashi out who then with the tenacity of a pitbull keeps trying to climb back into the ring and each time Misawa smashes him with an elbow and then finally hits a diving elbow. Another great sequence that really epitomizes the two characters. There is a nice square dance spot where Akiyama goes to whip Misawa into the railings and Ogawa hooks his arm like a square dance and allows Misawa to be whipped back into Akiyama. Definitely something that needs to be stolen. One thread of this match is that Ogawa is the master scout. He sees Akiyama middle rope dropkick coming (common Akiyama transition to tag out). Chinlocks drag here a bit. Akiyama uses his size advantage to reverse atomic drop Ogawa and tag out. Ogawa then avoids Kobashi spinning back chop. Ogawa, master scout. He actually knocks Kobashi down with punches, which surprises the hell out of me. He is smart enough to tag out to heavy-hitting Misawa. Ogawa back in and he avoids the Kobashi atomic drop. He is learning. However, he cant avoid Akiyama on the apron. Finally, Burning gets their hands on the little pipsqueak. They just beat the shit out of him. Burning is definitely heeling themselves, but God if those are not glorious chops. Ogawa gets his own middle rope dropkick and tags out. I think extended heat segment would have been nice there. Misawa needing three tries to hit a senton was a nice touch. Then in 1999, Misawa busts out a crazy athletic, flippy, workrate sequence I have never seen him do before. Kobashi quashes that with a Sleeper Suplex. Even Misawa feels extra babyface now, which is weird with Kobashi who is usually the ultimate babyface. Kobashi tags out and now it is an Exploder/Tiger Driver tease, Exploder wins and big German, Ogawa saves. Here comes the finish run. Misawa takes the turnbuckle powerbomb (vicious), Akiyama high knee and double arm DDT. Misawa has a great transition out of the heat with his Ricky Morton-esque headlock/headscissors takeover or both and then elbowing them both. Ogawa's hot tag is fucking awesome. Eyepokes, backdrop driver, OGAWA TIGER DRIVER, Sharpshooter on Akiyama and he then takes Kobashi's chops like a man while holding onto the hold. Fracas and we are left with Kobashi & Misawa. Kobashi finish sequence now with half-nelson suplex, powerbomb, but Misawa blocks moonsault and hits an elbow as Kobashi is diving. Missed Spinning Back Chop ROARING ELBOW~! Misawa ends up with Tiger Driver after multiple tries, Ogawa hits a double stomp 4 times and Misawa with a nice flying bodypress and back drop driver, but Akiyama saves. Elbow/Backdrop Driver combo only gets two. Ogawa accidentally swings Misawa into an Akiyama exploder. Kobashi tags out and here is the real finish stretch. Ogawa gets his eyepoke on Akiyama and tries a barrage of nearfalls especially then one that got him the upset victory last year. Akiyama hits his Exploder. Kobashi beats off Misawa with Spinning Backchops and a Burning Lariat where he also clotheslines himself on top rope. One last Ogawa hope spot when Akiyama misses charge into the corner and Ogawa gets the school boy, which got crazy heat. Akiyama hits the Exploder for the win. Incredibly great action-packed match, but I did not feel like it was that unique compared to a lot of AJPW 90s. It was a really strong beginning (Ogawa, Misawa shine), kinda lull with chinlocks, Ogawa heat segment was pretty short (I think that's what gets most of the praise), Misawa heat segment was very good, Ogawa hot tag was fucking awesome and then a typically awesome AJPW finish run. I did not feel there was a unique narrative to this, just a bitchin tag team match by four pros. ****1/4

Great title, Kelly! Everybody has got to watch Demos vs Bulldogs from MSG 7/88, pretty killer.

This reeks of Hogan/Warrior in 1998. However, it keeps Brock away from members of the current roster, maybe his best use. American Inoki sounds cool, but probably wouldn't work in 2016 unfortunately.

So I mooch off my parents for cable (I have my own house, but when I want to watch TV I go over to my parents), Smackdown conflicts with my parents watching Dancing WIth the Stars & some FOX comedies. Whats the best way for me to watch Smackdown without the USA network?

Best Jericho run since like 2009. He might be mediocre at best in the ring and horrible at worst, but he is consistently the most entertaining thing on WWE TV this year on the mic. Really that is Jericho at his best. I'm very happy to be a stupid idiot again that drinks in Gift of Jericho and to watch "it". He is great with Enzo and Owens. Excited to see what he does with New Day from this past RAW.

That's the Gift of Jericho...Drink it in, MAAAAAANNNN

Is Ditch alive? Whatever happened to this? I had a ton of fun doing it so I don't need to see the results, but it would be nice to know what they were.

AJPW World Tag Team Champions Holy Demon Army (Kawada & Taue) vs Burning (Kobashi & Akiyama) - AJPW 1/7/99 Pro wrestling is just the best, isn't it? This was incredible and just so much fun. Burning defeated the Holy Demon Army at RWTL and went on to win the tournament so they naturally get a title shot. Unfortunatey we are JIP about 6-7 minutes in, Burning is working over Kawada's knee with solid work and Kawada is selling well. Kobashi has a giant bandage over his forehead kinda covering his right eye. Kobashi goes for a German on Kawada, silly Kobashi you cant German Kawada, who hits his enziguiri. He tags Taue. I know exactly what is going to happen. Taue zeroes in on that injured eye and it is glorious. Taue chops, kicks and rams that eye. Kobashi's selling is great. Taue is very energetic. Loved Taue slamming his head so hard into the table it breaks. Akiyama tries to save goes into the railing HARD, he threw himself into that. Kawada takes his fucking head off too with a kick. Kawada was definitely in a take no prisoners mood. He was looking to decapitate people with some of these kicks. After about 5 minutes, Kobashi gets a spinning back chop to tag in Akiyama who ends succumbing to a Taue DDT. Kawada tries to kick his head off. Holy Demon Army go for some of their finish sequence stuff on Akiyama like Nodowa/BDD. On Kawada powerbomb, the injured Kobashi saves. Kobashic catches the spin kick and blasts Kawada with a lariat. Electric! He is just so fired up. He has the ridiculous bandage, he is exhorting Akiyama to get his ass over here for a tag and is ready to rock. Hot tag to Kobashi! Taue meets him at the pass with a MONSTER DROPKICK! Ducks spinning back chop and HITS A REVERSE NODOWA ON THE FACE!!! FIVE FUCKING STARS1!! TAUE IS A GOD AMONG MEN! DYNAMIC BOMBS GETS TWO! Nodowa off the apron, not Akiyama grabs the leg and Taue settles for DDT on the apron. Nodowa in the ring? Kawada kicks Kobashi in the head and taue this it, Akiyama saves. This is high drama! Spinning back chop breaks up Nodowa and Akiyama runs in for an Exploder. This is frenetic! Bodyslam...Fist Pump... Akiyama restrains Kawada...MOOOONSAULT...2. Kawada on apron...Burning Lariat! Awesome strike exchange where Kobashi is so fucking pumped to hit the Burning Lariat and Taue keeps blocking like a pesky jerk. Double LARIAT!!! Dramatic Cover. BURNING LARIAT!!! NEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!!! One of the best finish sequences of all time and super unheralded. Knee work on Kawada is fine. The face work on Kobashi awesome and really well sold. Holy Demon Army's run on Akiyama is great and fired up injured Kobashi is the best. Once it is down to Taue vs Kobashi it is just the fucking best. Just an incredible bomb throwing run...That NODOWA on the injured face is up there for greatest spot of all time. Kobashi just dying to hit that Burning Lariat was just so invigorating. We are missing a quarter of the match so I don't think I can go higher than ****1/4, but really fucking good.

Mitsuharu Misawa & Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi & Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW 6/4/99 Yes, you read that right! The first time the Four Corners had been in the same ring in 3.5 years and the last time ever (there may have been some six-mans, but last time as a foursome). Misawa is defending the Triple Crown against Kobashi in a week so this a buildup to that. Kobashi is currently 0-4 against Misawa in Triple Crown matches. Kawada has won his last two against Misawa. Taue is Taue, the best number two in history. To me this is a great house show match. Don't kill yourself before the huge Budokan show in a week. They have it in cruise control, but for the Four Corners that's a higher level than most, The beginning is a ring around the rosie with each pairing being highlighted and each wrestler having a time to shine. Important to note, Misawa won his segment against Kobashi, but lost his to Kawada. We end up with Misawa/Kobashi and a big elbow Misawa tags out to Kobashi and we get a nice Taue control segment on Kobashi. Misawa looks for the early kill with a Tiger Driver. Kawada intercedes. They eventually overwhelm Misaa with spinning back chops, kicks and Half Nelson Suplex in the ring and then on the floor cements their advantage. Kobashi/Kawada work really well together. Kinda disappointed we did not get more of them together. I like Kawada selling his bad arm on elbows and then just turning to kicks to the head. Kobashi/Kawada are using very conservative but effective offense (lots of strikes to the head). When Kobashi goes for the Dragon Suplex, Misawa freaks out and elbows out and tags Taue. Taue really starts cranking and it is his time to shine. NODOWA CITY~! Really fun stretch sequence with my favorite spot being the Taue powerbomb on Koashi and Misawa frogsplash combo. Kobashi was the ragdoll and Kawada played savior. They wanted the Elbow/Nodowa combo, but Kobashi broke free and hit the Burning Lariat on Misawa. Then Kawada and Kobashi overwhelmed the isolated Taue until Kobashi hit the Burning Lariat for the win. Just a great fall out of the bed match, everyone played their role to a tee, Misawa was the Ace, Taue was the MVP and Kobashi/Kawada were the well-oiled machine. As with most All Japan tags, it is a game of isolation, first Misawa is isolated then Kobashi and finally Taue and it showed that better teamwork won the day. Kobashi gets his wins, but individual battles still felt like Misawa was the Man. ****

Vader vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW Championship Carnival Final '99 Vader is the Man! I am so glad I got around to watching all this great post-prime Vader in All Japan. I think he could have been way better utilized in early NOAH. I think this even better than the Year 2000 Kobashi/Vader match, which is another great one. I thought they really put together an action-packed match that really felt like it could either way throughout the match. I loved the struggle over the German suplex early ending in a cradle by Vader and then a cross armbreaker. Kobashi really did not want to go over. It was cool to see Vader swallow his pride and do the smart thing and try to get a win by unconventional methods by Vader's standards. Then we get typical Vader punching him really hard in the bad eye. Kobashi throws a Fuck You lariat and then some serious Fuck You punches (Kobashi does not really throw punches) so Vader pokes him the bad eye repeatedly to be a dick. Then just sits on him with all his weight and then a big middle rope splash. I love when fat guys use their body weight as a weapon. Kobashi dropkicks the knee and tries some work on the knee but Vader gets to the ropes on a single leg crab. I really liked flying Vader body attack off the apron to the floor. Vader goes for the moonsault so Kobashi powerbombs him off the top and Vader BOUNCES off the mat. Kobashi gets a German, classic Vader spot, bodyslam, fist pump, MOONSAULT CONNECTS!!! 1-2-NO! Signals for Burning Lariat, but Vader ducks and wrangles him for a MASSIVE GERMAN SUPLEX! You could see the "OH SHIT!" in Kobashi's eyes as he is going over. Kobashi never really recovers. Overkill AJPW finish with Vadersault, Massive Powebomb and then a Fucking Tackle to win the match for Vader. It is a breezy fun heavyweight slugfest no real David vs Goliath feel. Just one of those Watts' Mid-South era bomb throwing hoss fights, I liked the emotion from Kobashi early but did get loss. I really Vader going to the eyes. The finish run was typical All Japan greatness and excess at the same time. Meaty and hossy just how I like it. ****

Burning (Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama) vs. Stan Hansen & Akira Taue - AJPW 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! ****1/2

The Hashimoto match from 89 and Mutoh '91 I like better for singles and Vader/Takada is the best Vader in Japan match for my money and the 98 Real World Tag League Final is probably my favorite though. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Vader - AJPW 10/30/99 Rematch from the May match sees an even shorter contest with Vader actually defeating Misawa going back to the tradition of gaijin transitional champions between natives (a role Taue & Kawada had been playing for Kobashi). I am a total sucker for these matches. They are big, dumb and tons of fun. I love Vader landing a haymaker in the corner. Trying to get the German but Misawa resists applies a sleeper for a little bit and then sends him fucking flying on a German. He launched him on another one. Holy shit! He looks to end it early with Vaderbomb, but Misawa tries to attack so he punches right in the face between his legs. Damn! Misawa elbows through this all, and sends Vader flying with Germans goes flying with a top rope elbow to the floor and a somersault placha. Then eats a huge foot on another diving elbow and massive powerbomb on the floor. BRAINBUSTER! You cant powerbomb Misawa in the ring though, he escapes, elbow, missed charge and wicked back elbow. I love Misawa's flying bodypress. HUGE ELBOW ONLY FOR TWO! TIGER DRIVER '91! HOT DAMN VADER FUCKING TOOK IT LIKE A CHAMP! After years of being caught with the bodyslam off the middle rope, Vader catches Misawa and then sits his fat ass on Misawa a couple times. I love when wrestlers just use their body weight. Misawa looks to mount a comeback but Vader is took much man and he catches with a huge bear paw that knocks him silly. HUGE FOLD UP POWERBOMB AND VADER WINS! I would call this an upset. I really liked that Vader finally got to catch someone else with a bodyslam. Tiger Driver '91 was sick. As was all the suplexes. There is really not much thought that went into this. It was Vader the Mastodon vs. Misawa The Ace and they just threw bombs for 12 minutes. If you don't love that, you should get your motor checked. ****

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Vader vs Mitsuharu Misawa - AJPW 5/2/99 Baba passed away on January 31st of the year and this is his memorial show at the Tokyo Dome drawing 50,000 and $5 million, up a million from the year previous. Vader had the incredible RWTL and then a so-so performance against Kobashi in singles in January so lets see what he does here. He defeated Taue for the vacant title in March (Kawada vacated due to the arm injury sustained at 1/22/99, his title victory). The first ten minutes is a glorious Vader extended squash. He controls the match with haymakers and it just builds from there. Throwing Misawa around at will. I loved the struggle over the powerbomb on the floor. Vader earned that monstrous powerbomb on the floor. Damn! Splash from the apron connects to. So my big problem is Vader basically destroyed Misawa so badly after the first ten minutes that he really should have won the match and I felt like it hurt the credibility of the match that Misawa was able to kick out. I think Vader missing the plash from the apron would have been a nice transition. Instead once Vader is done killing Misawa for our enjoyment, he slaps on a lame STF and Misawa makes the ropes. Misawa's cue to hit rock Vader with an elbow that sends him out. Awesome diving elbow and even better plancha to a prone Vader! HUGE POP FOR THE MISAWA GERMAN! Misawa kinda runs out of steam and Vader starts throwing him around with some massive Germans. VADERSAULT CRASHES AND BURNS! Vader still gets up first that is depressing as hell. Misawa gets a superplex and then a flying bodypress. Misawa may be the greatest ever at the flying bodypress. So much impact. Super DDT! Pops Vader good with a Roaring Elbow! Vader tries to mount a comeback with those haymakers that helped him gain control but Misawa ducks and blows him away with elbows. Excellent chop down the monster match. Really great display of offense by both men. I think the first transition could have been better as Vader had really destroyed Misawa. I liked Misawa first comeback only for Vader to launch him into Suplex City to set up for his big bombs then when those missed Misawa just kept coming him at him with an onslaught of elbows. Definitely proof Vader had plenty left in the tank as late as 1999 and that Misawa is still the Man. ****1/4