Superstar Sleeze

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW 4/11/94 I actually thought the back half of this 30 minute draw was quite good. It got me thinking if the reason why me and others found this match to be so flat was because the commentary team was so listless. I love Japanese commentary even though I dont understand Japanese because there is a certain rhythm to it that enhances the match. I voluntarily choose Japanese commentary over English commentary on New Japan World. Good commentary should like a good rhythm section to a song, driving you forward and keeping your tempo. The not Carny Match! Basically, my understanding is Baba & Co. worked a Misawa "injury" to take him out of the tournament to free up the desired Kawada/Doc Finals to build up two new challengers to Misawa. I guess you say the Kayfabe explanation for this match is they are both going "easy" because this is not counted towards the Carny. Kawada is a front-runner and doesnt want to expend energy before his other Carny matches and Misawa wants to coast because he has been Champion for over a year and needs to recover. The result a very standard match that feels flat. They do a transition that would become very popular but could be the first time it was done, which is Kawada catching Misawa with an elbow to the neck as he is diving off the apron. I dont remember seeing that in 1993, but it could have been done earlier. Kawada is content to work holds and not necessarily around the neck (Ab stretch, Single leg crab). Good Kawada kick variants such as Axe Kick, round kick to the face, Cowboy Kick, Spinwheel Kick and the Kick of Fear straight to the face worked very well for him. Misawa would just randomly fire off an elbow, take over and then cool back down. It felt abrupt and shoehorned. Like it was "my turn" ok back to you. Kawada smoked him with a Lariat, did a Knee Drop off the apron and hit a powerbomb for two. Misawa started selling the neck a lot I'd say around the 10 minute mark or so. Kawada started targeting it more with chops and kicks and such. It made the Stretch Plum more meaningful. Misawa hiptossed out and did a Cowboy Kick himself to give him a taste of his own medicine. The work is fine and the moves make sense. Just not a whole lot of passion behind them. The second half things start pick up which makes me wonder if it is the commentary team thats letting this match down. Kawada returns fire with a Jumping High Kick which is treated like his Elbow Equivalent that down Misawa. He works more holds. Misawa starts to fire up and blows him away with an elbow that sends him to the outside and Misawa succeeds in hitting his diving elbow through the ropes to the floor and from the top rope to the mat. One wrinkle I liked was Misawa having counters to Kawada's kick whether it was catching a kick & summarily dumping him on his ass or elbowing a kick. Good work. Misawa spinning his spinning springboard plancha which I have always liked. Cool spot you dont see them do a lot is back in Kawada meets him at the top rope with a punch (the commentary should have been going wild) and Superplexes him. Kawada goes through his finish run, hits another Lariat, no Powerbomb, but a German Suplex folds him in half. The crowd was really getting hot after the Superplex and I was enjoying it a lot too. Thats when I started to blame commentary of all things even thought I dont even understand Japanese. There is a certain cadence to good Japanese commentary thats like the rhythm section of a song it drives your forward and picks up your tempo. Stretch Plum! But nothing doing. It ended with Misawa standing tall, Roaring Elbow and Tiger Driver for 2. Kawada is saved by the bell. I have watched enough great American matches with bad English commentary to still know when I am seeing a great match. I thought this ended up being great but not anywhere near the classics they usually have. I probably wont ever watch it again, but the last 20 minutes are strong and great work from Kawada on top. ****

WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Champion Greg Valentine vs Miguel Perez Jr - WWC 01/06/92 From what I gleaned from the commentators (my Spanish is non-existent) is that Miguel Perez Sr is outside and he is handcuffed from some masked man and Valentine is the Caribbean Heavyweight Champion. My big take home was that Valentine was wasted in the early 90s. He was just left to languish in WWF and WCW as some sort of over the hill 80s wrestler but he had so much more left to give. He still moved great and packed a punch. His selling of the atomic drop was entertaining, he did his TIMBAAAAAAAHHHHHH spots at the right time. They had a great elbow firefight. I loved his stump puller transition right into the Figure-4. I have seen Perez Jr before in like Los Boriquas but I didnt see much to pass judgment one way or another. The finish was great. The masked luchador slugs Miguel Sr. with a foreign object. The ref uncuffs him. Perez has Valentine in a sleeper and he turns at the last second so the masked man crashes down on Valentine. Ref counts three! Miguelito wins the title and Senior wallops the masked man all over the baseball diamond and sends him scurrying back to the dugout. Feelgood ending. Nothing that will change your world but you wish there was a world where Valentine was having long midcard matches or getting a tag team push somewhere in the world. ***

Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue) - AJPW 12/3/93 The match is famous for Kawada's sublime knee selling. I think what enhanced it this go around for me is watching the Holy Demon Army vs Doc & Bossman tag match that precedes this by two days. Knowing that Kawada is coming in with an injury rather than it happening in the middle of the match was a game changer. In their first tag match together and in their six-mans, traditionally it is Kobashi vs Taue that starts off. Misawa starts off this time. Very strategic. Misawa & Kobashi know that Taue cant tag out because Kawada is injured so this allows them to put heavy hitting Misawa in there first. They immediately reap rewards. Misawa smokes Taue with an elbow. Double Dropkick! Kobashi baseball slide! Misawa diving elbow! Great babyface shine. Holy Demon Army's only hope really is for Taue to get an advantage have Kawada come in and consolidate & isolate one of them preferably Kobashi. We see Taue able to knock Kobashi down. Kawada wisely goads Kobashi into a chopfest wins and that and hits his famous Spinning Heel Kick. He nails, but if you watch carefully he comes up gingerly which I think I missed. This brings me to my favorite part of the psychology of this match...Holy Demon Army try to sprint to the finish line. This is not la dee da lets build to finish. This Kawada's knee is fucked...lets get the hell out of Dodge. So we get Kawada's Mack Truck Lariat (good knee sell from Kawada here too, great subtlety) and Stretch Plum and the SIngle Leg Crab with Kawada stepping on his head. We get Snake Eyes galore from Taue. We get the bodyslam on the floor. We bodyslams and Cowboy Kicks! This was a ferocious ass kicking Kobashi took. It all made sense. The idea was to hit every bomb and get the win as fast as possible. This made for a very urgent match which I love. The game changer is Kawada lets his foot off the gas. This time it is a clear hubris flaw. He thought he had it in the bag so he playfully kicks Kobashi in the head. He chops the neck but Kobashi fires up. As Kawada would he snaps off a kick to Kobashi's leg. What is the immediate, natural response, Kobashi rifles Kawada's injured knee. Kawada flies into a FURIOUS RAGE! That is incredible. Kobashi has SPOOKED Kawada as much as he has hurt him. Kawada knows he is vulnerable and needs to snuff this out. Kawada translates that fear into ANGER and unloads on Kobashi pelting him with illegal closed fists. It is an amazing moment. Once the initial anger subsides, Kawada is left hobbling & powerless and Kobashi POUNCES on him and starts punching the hell out of the bad knee. This is one of all time favorite sequences. So awesome and emotional! Taue tries to stop the bleeding by knocking Misawa off the apron, but Kobashi traps Taue and Misawa knocks him out and Kobashi tags in Misawa with Kawada still on his ass. Kawada looks like easy pickin's. Kawada tries to fire up and tries to potato Misawa. Misawa absorbs and smokes him with an Elbow. Tiger Driver gets two, Taue saves Kawada on the Tiger Suplex otherwise it may have been a short day at the office for the Holy Demon Army. This affords Kawada the opportunity to hit a Lariat and crawl to make a tag. Taue is rolling Snake Eyes on everything that moves. Misawa and Kobashi are just feeding him. Taue looks like a world-beater and he understands the dire straits his team is in. NODOWA/BACKDROP DRIVER COMBO! Gets two! Not as hot of a nearfall as I was expecting. I thought it was red hot in my living room. Kobashi saves. Taue hits a powerbomb on Misawa, but it is not quite the Dynamic Bomb so it is only a 2 count. He feeds Misawa into Kawada's lariat. Kawada's selling is so, so good. Kawada tries to feed Misawa in for a Nodowa, but Misawa elbows out of trouble and tags in Kobashi! This match rocks! Kobashi is a house ablaze...chops...DDTs...he even Snake Eyes Taue! Which I popped huge for! I think the fans hate that move so much they didnt pop for it, but I loved Kobashi throwing that in Taue's face. Taue has used that move SIX times in this match. It was high time he got a taste of his own medicine. We also found out that Taue is a load. Kobashi had a hard time getting him up. Leg Drop...MOONSAULT! 1-2-NO! This match has been at a break neck pace but everything still feels logical, earned and it is breathing. Really incredible. Taue chops and lariats his way out of trouble. Here comes Kawada. Lets see what he can do on a bum wheel. Taue bough him about 5 minutes to recover will that be enough? Kawada back drops Kobashi immediately. Trainer helps him work out his leg. His second attempt on the Back Drop Driver his knee gives out causing him to smack the back of his head on the mat hard. What a nice touch! Kobashi has the opening to tag out. Kawada grits his teeth through out and hits trusty Spinning Heel Kick to stun Misawa but his knee is all sorts of messed up. He cant hold on the German Suplex bridge. He has to release the Stretch Plum gets two. The Powerbomb ends up with Misawa sitting on his face. It was all bad for business. Kawada is trying to be a gamer but he is fucked. Kobashi dropkicks the knee. This is the first time Kobashi can really get a hold of the knee. Misawa is more sporting perhaps or maybe more pig-headed that it is elbow or death. Kobashi has no shame and dropkicks the knee to a smattering of boos I believe if my ears dont deceive me. Kawada the babyface who wouldve thunk it. Kobashi throws the Single Leg Crab complete with stomps to the head back in Kawada's face and then switches to a Texas Cloverleaf. Great stuff! Jackknife Powerbomb for two! WOW! Kobashi crashes & burns on the moonsault! Kawada desperately needs to tag out, but Kobashi drop toeholds Kawada. Instead Kobashi is the one that tags out, oh shit! Misawa sention...frogsplash...TIGER SUPLEX! 1-2-NO! Misawa exits like he has taken a beating, lol, dude you dont know the half of it and here comes Kobashi. Kobashi lunging flying shouldertackle eats THE JUMPING HIGH KICK! One more, but Kobashi hits the Lariat that is not yet Burning! Kawada has had two cracks in the sky but cant get that tag out. Stereo Germans! It doesnt look good. Misawa ROARING ELBOW TO TAUE! ROARING ELBOW TO KAWADA! Kawada goes full limp seel on German Suplex. Misawa Diving Elbow. Backdrop Driver and Kobashi gets the pin on Kawada! They win the Real World Tag League and the Double Cup (World Tag Team Championship)! Can you say greatest match ever? Because I sure can. Ok, maybe a little hyperbole, I had have to give it a good think. It is definitely Top 20 all time and probably Top 10. It is my 1993 Match of the Year over either Hansen/Kobashi. Kawada's knee selling is so sublime, but it is so much more than that. It is Kawada/Taue urgently trying to close this out early. It is Kawada's reaction to the first kick to the knee. It is Taue desperately trying to salvage the match. It is Kawada trying to be a gamer and grit through this. It is Kobashi trying to close it out and prove he belongs. Outstanding. *****

Toshiaki Kawada vs Steve Williams - AJPW 4/16/94 The match that is a part of the classic core of the All Japan canon that I never really got. I always saw this match as a great match but never quite at the level of the other vaunted All Japan matches. Let's see what fresh eyes and having really enjoyed the 3/29/94 lead-in does for this match. This is the final for the 1994 Champions Carnival, which is difference than the previous year's #1 Native vs #1 Gaijin in Misawa vs Hansen. Here they go with #2 Native vs #2 Gaijin, I think thats a conscious decision to build up two challengers for Misawa and the fact that Hansen was slowing down. The 3/29 lead-in round robin match between the two went to a draw. Doc showed his power but did not hit his Oklahoma Stampede or his Back Drop Driver. Kawada hit his best shots: lots of head kicks, powerbomb, Stretch Plum even threw in a Fujiwara Armbar but couldnt get the job done. Lets see what happens here. They stick in the first 15 minutes to the story I really liked in the first match, it is Williams' power advantage against Kawada's Dangerous Head Kicks. Doc steamrolls Kawada early with some tackle. He is feeling confident and goes for the Back Drop Driver early. This always elicits a good crowd reaction and announcer reaction. I love early finisher teases makes believe that the wrestler wants to win. Kawada scrambles and punches/slaps Williams in the head and then hits his own Back Drop Driver. Great combination of a head shot and head drop from Kawada. Thats what it comes down to. Is Kawada needs to contain Williams' explosiveness by constantly rocking the head. Once Doc gets a head of steam on Kawada it is over for him. We see a lot of counter punching from Kawada that is focused on head kicks. What I didnt like about this is that Kawada seems to like set up transitions to Doc by taking his foot off the gas pedal. I dont know if this is supposed to be a kayfabe character flaw or if this is just not having a good transition but I didnt like it. The match definitely picks up when the powerful Doc traps Kawada in a double chickenwing and hoists him over in a Tiger Suplex. Great sell by Kawada they get the nearfall and then further milk it by having Kawada powder. Doc misses a top rope splash. Kawada hits his famous Spinning Heel Kick to the head. Nice middle rope kneedrop. I liked that when Doc struggled against the suplex Kawada quickly changed gears into a Fujiwara Armabr takedown and a nice callback to the 3/29 match. The transition back to Doc was a little too telegraphed again with Kawada seemingly letting up for no reason and Doc hitting a Spinebuster. Great stuff from Williams here. I liked the scramble on the Oklahoma Stampede with Kawada going for the ropes immediately. So Doc switches gears, hits his BIG Splash in the corner and then SNATCHES Kawada into an explosive Powerslam in a way he completed the Oklahoma Stampede for two. The way he snatched Kawada and took him over in that Powerslam was Brock Lesnar-esque and it was explosive! Again it is the combination of two head-kicks that rock Dr. Death enough for Kawada to command with a Stretch Plum which I think is smart. A hold like this will do a better job containing the explosive power of Doc and also sap his energy than head kicks. Kawada Kicks! Doc No Sells them because he is all man. Kawada is pissed about this and goes for an illegal Closed Fist, but Doc blocks and tees off on him with his own! Epic Kawada fall on his ass sell! The ref admonishes him but Doc throws a couple right jabs and a looping left knocks Kawada out. Where was that against Bart? Big Press Slam onto the top rope and the crowd is solidly behind Kawada chanting his name. Williams applies the Octopus Stretch. The match gets really, really good here. Doc has had the momentum ever since he punched Kawada's lights out and has built up enough momentum to go for the Back Drop Driver. Kawada furiously fights out and Kawada hits a Jumping High Kick to the head. Doc sells this like he is out cold. Total limp, dead man's float sell. Really puts over the kick. Kawada winds up like he is going to deliver his Mack Truck Lariat. Doc ducks and BACK DROP DRIVER! Only Doc cant capitalize because of the head kick and Kawada wisely rolls out of the ring. Very effective way to pop the crowd but also protect the move. Now because they took the starch out of the nearfall by milking all the damage they wisely have Doc hit the Doctor Bomb for a hot nearfall. Now you have gotten a little bit of everything. You explain why Doc couldnt capitalize the head kick. You explain why Kawada still has a shot, the head kick. You still get the Back Drop Driver because instantly the fans are like Oh Fuck. The realize both men need to sell. You get the great visual of Kawada rolling out of the ring. You protect the Back Drop Driver. You still get the hot nearfall from the Doctor Bomb. Really genius. Now of course Dr. Death wants to hit the Back Drop Driver again, big scramble to the ropes. Williams rips him off the ropes. There's this great drama is he going to hit it or not. Kawada has his leg grapevine and then all of sudden Kawada breaks free, Spinning Back Hand Chop to the head and then ROLLING KAPPO KICK TO THE HEAD! I marked out so hard for this. They do all the necessary nearfalls but for all intents and purposes it was over. A Stretch Plum, some more head kicks and Three Powerbombs (last Powerbomb was the best from a power stand point). I really liked the story they told. Kawada was outclassed in the power department, but he is an excellent counterpuncher and just kept kicking that head. All this only works if Doc sells. Misawa's elbow is only as powerful as his opponents make it. So it is important that Doc did NOT oversell in the beginning, but when the time was right he sold the right head kick as death. In the lone rung it protected him and his finish. The Rolling Kappo Kick was the cherry on top. It was a different style and Kawada pulling deep from his bag of tricks but it fit the theme of the match, keeping kicking the powerhouse in the head. I definitely see the appeal of this match now, excellent match. ****3/4

I can actually see someone saying this is their favorite 90s All Japan match because it is so different. I like the King Road's style generally so this would be a step down for me, but this is a fantastic match and in most promotions a match of the year candidate. Very shocked at how low Loss & others had this rated. Stan Hansen vs Akira Taue - AJPW 4/11/94 If there's anyone that can babyface Stan Hansen, it is Akira Taue. In the Hansen/Kobashi match a day prior, Hansen injured his ribs by doing a diving shouldertackle from the apron and connecting with the guardrail. When Hansen enters, there is only one whip of his bull rope and he is walking not running to the ring clutching his ribs. I will say this there's a talking point, which I believe to be asserted by JDW that no one else could have had this match by Taue which I believe to mean that he was absolutely laser focused on the ribs. I do take umbrage with that slightly as a Kobashi fan. I think Kobashi fan acquitted himself well the night before with a lot of body shots, kicks, dropkicks all to the ribs and even shouldertackles to the ribs to set up the moonsault. Were there leg drops and sleepers? Yes, but Kobashi was committed to the ribs until the very end of the match. Just like Taue used the ribs to set up his finish. Two very different matches and both phenomenal, but I just want to point this out. Kobashi is NOT this scattered-brain, "get my stuff in" wrestler that some people say. The criticism that Misawa could not work this match because he would want to sell and make his extended comeback I would agree with. I think Kawada would also be fine and well-suited for a match like this. This match is about Taue who is undersung anyways and we should let his spotlight get stolen by the other three. Taue and Hansen both rock pretty hard in this. I know Hansen lariats with his left hand but I am not sure if he uses an Unorthodox stance because I have seen him punch right. Anyways he uses an Unorthodox stance here to keep his left side (injured side) further away from Taue. I always love touches like that. Taue ultimately crowds Hansen in the corner. Hansen does his best to bully his way out, but the bully got bullied here and Taue started unloading on the left side with some good shots. If there is one thing that Japanese fans cant stand, it is when Taue "hotshots" opponents on the top rope or railing. It always draws boos. Even though they were chanting for Taue at the end, I found that interesting. Some great work here from that standpoint. Hansen is a big mutha trucker and for Taue to get him up and launch him in such a way that it was his abdomen that landed on the railing and top rope was impressive. That's a tough bump for Hansen to take even if his ribs arent actually injured. We of course get stomach claws and abdominal stretches. Hansen tried this cat and mouse strategy luring Taue to the outside and then getting back in the ring to the get the high ground. Still Taue fought through his King of the Mountain by attacking the left side. All in all, excellent work. I liked the transition to Hansen on offense. Taue misses an elbow drop from the top rope and then Hansen hits a trademark lunging shouldertackle that sends Taue flying to the outside. Perfect. Hansen BOUNCES a chair off Taue! Perfect. DDT on the exposed concrete. Perfect! Cant suplex him on exposed concrete because of the injured ribs so he settles for wrenching his head into the railing. Perfect, Perfect, Perfect! Hansen's selling through his comeback is sublime. You never lose sight of the fact he is in tremendous pain but that means he is also tremendously furious. Exposed knee. Two WICKED Stiff, Swift Cowboy Kicks! The way he has to gear himself up for the a suplex and then ultimately a Powerbomb. The sell after that powerbomb is tremendous. Hansen gets two and then tugs at the elbow pad to let everyone know whats coming. Taue kicks him right in the left side and gets a powerslam for two. NODOWA~! Great struggle there with Taue earning it. Hot nearfall and the crowd is clearly behind Taue. Hansen shifts his weight on a back suplex. Gnarly headbutts from Hansen and SMOKES Taue with a diving right elbow to the point where I bit on that nearfall even though the crowd didn't. I thought it was his way of doing a lariat without using his left side. He goes for the Lariat by holding Taue's head but Taue is able to punch the left side repeatedly and NODOWA~! 1-2-3! If someone wanted to say this is their favorite 90s All Japan match or even the best, I would not bat an eye. King's Road is not for everyone. I happen to generally like the style and do think it is my personal favorite style. For those that like a more minimalist approach with heavy emphasis on body part psychology both from a laser-focused offensive perspective and a great selling perspective this match meets those needs. Hansen's stock is really rising in my book (he was already in my Top 5 wrestlers of all time) he has so many more layers than a Bull in the China Shop brawler, really effective seller and more than one-dimensional tool. Taue (also in my Top 25) really showed his ability to carry a singles match on top here. Taue is a man of efficiency. We saw that NOAH where he had great singles bouts with Misawa, Nagata and Kobashi. This was a very efficient and tidy match. It is not one of the more pimped matches so if you have not watched it ever or in a while, I definitely implore to give this a watch. ****1/2

Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 4/10/94 The beginning of this match has a Hansen vs Kawada 2/28/93 vibe to it although not quite as stiff. What do I mean by that? There were a lot of momentum shifts and there were not a lot of highspots. It was just a lot of general pummeling and attrition selling. There were also not a lot of pinfall attempts. Kobashi was going to the thrust kick a lot. There were some whips into the railing. Hansen was using a lot of head shots, elbows and what not. It was just a lot of strong brawling, but not much in the way of story. There were excellent moments like Kobashi fighting through Stan's kicks as Stan was on his back near the apron and Kobashi was trying to enter the ring. Kobashi fights through it and slaps him a ton. Hansen FIGHTS through that and starts headbutting. I am a mark for sequences like that. Anytime people are fighting through offense, I love it. Kobashi has sort of control with some leg drops and the sleeper. Hansen ends up bowling him over with a lunging tackle. Hansen really starts to rock Kobashi with those headbutts, we get a glassy eyed sell that pops the announcer and Baba. He slams Kobashi's head into the steel post. Then he slams a chair off his back. I love a Hansen chair shot. Slams him into the table and THROWS THE TABLE DOWN ONTO HIM! POWERBOMBS KOBASHI ON THE EXPOSED CONCRETE! He has whipped the crowd into a frenzy and the crowd wants to kill Hansen. Hansen ends up diving off the apron on a shouldertackle only to eat the railing. This has turned into an excellent match. Looking forward to the second half and seeing if Kobashi can make the comeback and get his first win over Stan Hansen? Absolutely TERRIFIC ENDING! Call me a mark for the series all you want, but fuck that was awesome and this shit right here is why I am pro wrestling fan and why pro wrestling is the greatest thing ever. Hansen has been a total prick to Kobashi and honestly should have been DQ'd because of the chair and table throws. The crowd was pissed. When Hansen clutching his ribs tries to enter the ring, Kobash shows NO MERCY, illegal closed fists to the ribs and a lot of hair pulling. Fuck that prick and Kobashi lights him up. Kobashi turned Hansen's drum into a punching bag at one point. There was a great suplex struggle where Kobashi kneelifts the injured abdomen and is able to hoist Hansen over. Kobashi DECKS Hansen with a lariat for a hot nearfall. I mean Double Hot! The whole building was ringing out with "KO-BASH-I" chants! Hansen's selling here has been sublime. This is on the order of Kawada doing his best knee selling. Just great work from Stan. Boston Crab from Kobashi and punts Hansen in the ribs. You can feel it and you know Hansen had one more run left in him. You knew to ratchet up the drama you needed that and they did a great job picking when it was. It came right after this once Kobashi had gotten his nuclear nearfall. Hansen reverses an Irish Whip hard into the buckles such that Kobashi takes the Bret Bump. Big back suplex. Crowd oooh and aaahs and gets a little worried. Hansen gets a good nearfall here. He tugs on the elbow pad. You can tell the crowd is anxious. They have seen this story before. It felt different because Hansen had seriously injured himself but it looked like it was going to end the same with Hansen crushing Kobashi. Kobashi evades the first Lariat but Hansen gets the back suplex. Hansen decides for the powerbomb, but Kobashi back drops out to a big pop. Hansen lunging elbow to the head gets a nearfall. Curiously Hansen wants the big splash from the top even though his ribs hurt. Great selling from Hansen who manages to fight through the pain and Powerbomb Kobashi again only two. Crowd breathes a sigh of relief. Hansen goes for the big splash from the top. Eats Knees! Me and the crowd go fucking apeshit! This is best part here. Because I totally thought Kobashi was going to fire up win, but NO out of nowhere Hansen swings that BIG BEARPAW LARIAT! It was such a great catch you out of nowhere spot. Took my breathe way, but this time was different. He did NOT have as much Oomph behind he was the one hurting. It was defense mechanism and Kobashi absorbed the blow and just kept marching forward. That bodyslam and that little fist pump. God, I was emotional then and I am man enough to admit I am emotional now. What a powerful moment! You could tell how badly the crowd wanted it. You could tell how badly he wanted it. It took two Moonsaults but Kenta Kobashi finally got his victory over Stan Hansen. Kobashi is my favorite Japanese wrestler of all time and definitely in my top 5 overall, I was so happy for him fucking 26 years later it is crazy. I am so glad he got that moment. Hansen knocked it out of the park. He was an ornery, sadistic prick then sold his ass off like a champ and still had that compelling finish run to make you doubt the feel-good ending. Nobody in my opinion is better at transcending language, culture and time to elicit emotion than Kenta Kobashi! Yet another sublime performance from in my eyes the undisputed GOAT of pro wrestling history. ****3/4

Toshiaki Kawada vs Steve Williams - AJPW 3/29/94 It is the #2 Native vs #2 Gaijin, though you could make the case that Doc had overtaken Hansen at this point, but I dont think that was truly cemented until Dr. Death made the Carny Final. Baed on the time call, we are 8minutes JIP to Kawada kicking the tar out of Williams and playing a very effective King of the Mountain, Bockwinkel would be proud. The King falls off his perch when he kicks the ring post! Doc smells blood. He does a KneeCrusher to the Table and then wrenches the knee over the guardrail. Kawada's selling is sublime per usual. The face he makes when Williams elbows his knee on the railing screams pain. He makes another great wide-eyed face when Williams traps him in a leg lace. Kawada is so good at incorporating leg selling into how he moves and how it affects his strikes. It is him and Randy Savage that are my go-tos for leg selling. Speaking about how it affects his moves. Kawada never dies. He immediately tries to go to his bread & butter to turn the tide: that impressive spinning heel kick and his Mack Truck Lariat. You can see how each move doesn't hit with the same oomph and he can't capitalize. It is Dr. Death that makes to his feet first. To quote Jesse the Body, "That's gotta be depressing as hell". A lot of people say Doc really picked up his game in late 93 and especially in '94 so what has changed? I think this match layout really helps Williams. Doc has the amateur pedigree he can go on the mat. I think people didnt like all the headlocks and guzzling on the mat. It is an effect kayfabe strategy to have your opponent carry your weight, but it is NOT an entertaining strategy. The fact that Kawada injured his knee gave Doc a body part to zero in on and use those mat techniques to stretch. Wrestling fans like when they think a hold as a point and is inflicting visible damage. That I think helps. The other I think Doc became a Man, a Mighty, Mighty Man. He was more sure of himself and more confident. No selling is such an underrated form of selling. It gets a bum rap because of the narrative Meltzer & Co. pushed in the 90s, but it can really supercharge a crowd. There's nothing quite like a Man All Bowed Up absorbing punishment, death stare and the exploding into fury. It works for a reason. It is pure masculine energy! We see that Kawada using his Jumping High Kicks and Williams just shrugging them off and exploding from a three point stance to bowl over Kawada. We get the splash in the corner. There was a great floatover suplex that would make Barry Windham jealous. The Oklahoma Stampede and Back Drop Driver were teased. The Back Drop Driver teases especially from Doc get such great heat. I loved Kawada's response to all this. He went head-hunting. He was using that Jumping High Kick, which is has been equated to Misawa's elbow, as a way to make in-roads. Yes, Doc gritted through it and MANNED UP through the first couple flurries, but eventually he did ring that bell and that set him up with time to recover and take advantage. It is shows the importance of commitment to a strategy from Kawada. He nailed his own Back Drop Driver again a head shot. He wanted the powerbomb, but Williams was too strong and I think the knee was not there yet. So he went to the Stretch Plum a great hold to sap the big man of his energy and recover. The levelling the playing field spot is on the outside Doc gets whipped into the railing, BUT explodes furiously into a lariat to trigger the count of both men on the floor. I have really, really enjoyed this thus far. Back in the ring, Williams is a little less worse for wear and hits a top rope shouldertackle. Williams is favoring his leg and clutching the back of his head. He doing a great job selling overall attrition. DoctorBomb is his big nearfall for two. The Back Drop Driver we see three counters: the scramble to the ropes, the weight-shift counter and a Fujiwara Armbar. We first see the Fujiwara Armbar takedown earlier in the finish stretch when Kawada applies it on a charging Doc, but a Doc who is charging gingerly due to his bum wheel. So thats how Kawada has the opportunity to take him down. I liked the Fujiwara Armbar I thought it was sold well by both men. The Second One as a counter to the Back Drop Driver was RAUCOUS! The way Kawada was wrenching it and selling it with his eyes had the girls in the front going wild! The crowd was wicked into it. I HATED that he released. Honestly, I thought Doc had either given up or the ref had called the match in Kawada's favor. I dont like when holds are just released for the hell of it. We see Kawada MASSIVE Mack Truck Lariat and the Powerbomb down the stretch. All nuclear nearfalls! The crowd was whipped into a frenzy at this point. Doc is saved by the bell and then tackles Kawada as the credits roll. I think the story going into the match is Doc took all of Kawada's best shots: Lariat, Head Kicks, Fujiwara Armbar and the Powerbomb and Kawada still couldnt put him away. Whereas Doc did NOT hit Oklahoma Stampede or the vaunted Dangerous Back Drop Driver. If he could hit those, it could be lights out for Kawada. Sets up the Carny Final very well. Loved the work in this. Really made sense. Dr. Death look like a big time main eventer the way he was executing offense, choosing the right times to sell and no sell. Kawada sold the knee well and when it came time to make a comeback he chose smart transitions. I hate that this is JIP, but I liked it a lot. ****1/4

Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 10/23/93 I see this time and time again, Kawada was the best of the Pillars on the mat. Kobashi is very underrated on the mat and I think he is Kawada's peer very much. We get a great single leg/back heel trip seamlessly into a Spinning Toehold and then into a figure-4. We get two prior sequences of good chain wrestling from Kobashi. The King's Road style minimizes chaining and matwork but I think Kobashi is every bit Kawada's equal. I liked the babyface shine. Kawada is surprised he cant bowl over Kobashi and then chops him in frustration. Then Kobashi does not succeed and then eats a boot, but after all that he is the one who is able to tackle Kawada. Kawada, ever the sore sport (remember those fists against Misawa in July), double legs Kobashi for being shown up. Good stuff even if they end up in my least favorite position a bundle of leglocks. Another great Kawada is a sore sport moment is Kobashi steals Kawada's Cowboy Kick. So Kawada pissed gets up bodyslams him and UNCORKS TWO Cowboy Kicks for good measure! Kobashi looks to target the leg after his figure-4 but Kawada returns in kind rifling Kobashi's leg with kicks. Kawada gets the damn deepest Single Leg Crab you'd ever see. The transitions were kind of weak. Kawada lets his foot off the gas and then Kobashi starts firing off kicks and chops. Kawada damn near takes his head with his patented Spinning Heel Kick. Kawada moves into a Boston Crab and then an abdominal stretch. Kawada goes for it again, but Kobashi tries for a Rolling Cradle, Kawada elbows out. Kawada sells the dizziness though! That was fun! They go all Kobashi/Sasaki on us 12 years before that was a thing and the Budokan goes wild. The Japanese sure just love watching men stand there and pelt each other with stiff shots. Kawada just stops. There have been a lot of peculiar pauses in this match. Kobashi ends up DDTing Kawada a bunch. Kobashi is a pretty sizeable underdog here so he does the smart thing and that is go for his killshot, the moonsault. Gotta strike while the iron is hot, but ends up crashing and burning. Kobashi still manages to Lariat and Legdrop Kawada. Goes for the moonsault again, but sees Kawada stirring turns it into a John Cena legdrop. Kobashi connects with the moonsault for a two count! He is incredulous! Hit Kawada with his best shot, still doesnt get it done. Kawada rolls out of the ring. The front half has been damn good and it feels different than a lot of All Japan with the stronger mat focus and less bombs. Kawada is a good sore sport jerk and Kobashi is always pure infectious energy. Going forward to see where they go with this. Kobashi rolls him back in and kicks him a bunch and Kawada falls back out of the ring. Again another strange moment, Kawada is suddenly revitalized and pulls Kobashi's head down for Kawada kicks. Bizarre. There's a great chop exchange where Kawada gets a little high on his chop close to the throat and Kobashi gets pissed and unloads chops to the forearm, thats gotta hurt his hand. Kawada STRIKES HIM DOWN WHERE HE STANDS! Wicked chop to the side of the neck. That would become common in All Japan. Was this the start? Kawada and Kobashi keep at it and Kawada PUNCHES Kobashi! Two Jumping High Kicks, which they have been treating as sort of equal maybe a half-step below Misawa's Elbow. Kawada wrestles for a Stretch Plum but Kobashi makes the ropes. Kawada, the sore sport, goes for another punch, Kobashi blocks and PUNCHES him! Ok between this and the dangerous chops, this shit is lit! Kobashi wraps on a sleeper which his answer to Misawa's FACELOCK and Kawada's Stretch Plum. He is tenacious withstanding a back suplex. He hits two back drop drivers and a proper Jackknife Powerbomb for two. He is almost in tears that didnt win the match. Honestly, I think they have gone overboard. I think Kawada has survived too much and it is hurting the credibility of the match if he ends up winning. Kobashi clamps the Sleeper back on and here comes Kawada. THREE Backdrop Drivers and a Powerbomb still cant get the job done! Put me out of my misery, TWO More Backdrop Drivers, a Jumping High Kicks, Two Illegal Closed Fists and a Stretch Plum put Kobashi down. Holy Overkill, Batman! Pro Wrestling NOAH was born in 1993. Theres a lot to like about this match. I really liked the beginning and how Kobashi had to earn that moonsault. I LOVED how heated it became in the middle with the crazy chops to the head and the punches! Kawada died and resurrected himself twice in this match! Dying is the cardinal sin. It kills a match's credibility. I can handle it after the Moonsault, you really want to sell that. Cmon a sleeper, two Backdrop Drivers and a Powerbomb...stretching reality and Kawada still had to go all out to beat Die Hard Kobashi. Matches like this are always so tough for me to rate because the first 15 minutes are great. The back half still had some good stuff, I did like the sleeper work. Lets go ***1/2, I did enjoy most of it, but the finish was excess galore.

Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW 7/29/93 Here we go! I know I have seen this before, but I dont remember it. I have really loved the build to this. I know because it is All Japan they arent going to let it rip right away but man I wish they kept out guns blazing and just had a 10 minute brawl after what went down in that tag a couple weeks prior. I think the beginning of the match is very telling. Both men on rope breaks go for their signature break and the other blocks it. Neither man was coming to wrestle clean and this made apparent that Misawa was the first to do this. He was not reacting. He was instigating. Kawada was the first to lay in some leather with a Cowboy Kick off a rope break. It was a cheapshot. Misawa responds with an elbow and Kawada grits his teeth through it. Kawada catches Misawa a kick to the jaw that drops Misawa to a knee. I feel like all this psychological stuff was to make you believe Kawada was every bit Misawa's equal and willing to go the extra mile. They introduce some arm psychology which is common in Misawa matches because his elbow is such a weapon so it is logical for an opponent to want to neutralize that. Kawada wrenches the arm over the shoulder, a Japanese favorite tactic. I thought the Cross-Armbreaker was treated with respect, good struggle over the clasp and when Kawada got it in, good struggle from Misawa to escape. I liked Misawa's all kick-flurry as means to mount his comeback punctuated with a dropkick. Misawa has underrated kicks. They look good, make contact and make a good sound. Kawada catches him with a powerslam to take back over. Kawada actually starts to enter his finish run, which makes sense given that he had the lead almost lost to that kick flurry so he may be anxious to put the match away and not choke. We see his Mack Truck Lariat and an Axe Bomber after a failed Powerbomb attempt (a play off that prior July tag). He teases his powerbomb twice. I really liked the Catch of Misawa Elbow/Arm Drag/Cowboy Kick combination. I like how Misawa has to earn his Frogsplash it was not enough with just a spinwheel kick. He really needs to slug him with an elbow (great falls on his ass sell by Kawada) and hits not one but two frogsplashes. He gets the FACELOCCCCKKKKK for two. They have added some nice psychological wrinkles in the beginning. It has become a little Greatest Hits but they are definitely hitting each other with vim & vigor. Interested to see where they go in the second half. Misawa senses it is time to go home and rocks his shit with an elbow and Tiger Driver for two. Tiger Suplex gets a big reaction and Kawada's struggle for the ropes is epic. I love that when Kawada does make the ropes he quickly gets behind Misawa once he is free and BLASTS him an Axe Bomber. Theres a great struggle for the Stretch Plum it takes Kawada three tries and specifically his specialty jumping high kick to apply it. Then comes the Powerbomb for two. I think this is the best part of the match. The Powerbomb is pretty much Kawada's finish so you are left thinking where can he go now that Misawa has kicked out of that. Kawada was clearly thinking the same thing so he just PUNCHES HIM RIGHT IN THE FACE! Well thats one way to solve your problems. He gets a German for two. Goes back to the Powerbomb and when that doesnt work, he punches him again in the face for two. Kawada is feeling empowered by the power of the punch goes for a third time this time Misawa is prepared blocked it and SMOKES him with an ELBOW! A lot of people have said why did Misawa sell after that elbow if Kawada had not worked his arm recently. I think he was trying to put over just how hard he hit him. Kawada did his powder off the elbow to put over that he was fucked up. I think they wanted to really show this was THE ELBOW that was the game changer. Tiger Suplex 1-2-NO! I think that should have been the finish. They get cinematic down the stretch. I am sure Shawn Michaels would enjoy this if you showed him. Roaring Elbow->Kawada does these limp kick outs. Kawada double legs him out of defiance. Whats weird is Kawada hits a Dangerous Back Drop Driver and his Jumping High Kick, but Misawa is the one who gets up first and just starts German Suplexing him to the death. He really folded him up on a couple of those drawing Oooooohs and Aaaaaahs from the crowd. I guess they were trying to show that Kawada had Fighting Spirit but was too spent to capitalize it was very odd. The whole Kawada deadweighting going limp as Misawa threw him one last time for the win was a little much. The finish stretch aside I think there were a lot of cool macho psychological elements to this. I think the beginning was great about this. I think Kawada's stooping to using a closed fist three times was a very cool and I loved how Misawa adapted and overcame and showed the Power of the Elbow. I liked how they really had to earn their offense. I thought this was humming a long really well, but I found the finish stretch to be peculiar at times and overwrought. Still excellent and definitely an unsung classic because of how awesome this entire rivalry is. ****1/2

Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs Toshiaki Kawada & Masa Fuchi - AJPW 7/19/93 The march to Misawa vs Kawada in the Budokan continues. Misawa & Kawada bring two of their lower-ranked lieutenants into their fight, but that does not lessen the heat. This match is mostly famous for the brawl in the middle of the match, but lets work up to it. Unlike New Japan, All Japan had pretty much abandoned chain wrestling in the 90s so it was refreshing to see Fuchi work a great headlock sequence with Akiyama to begin the match and to have it end with Akiyama winning a top wristlock test of strength was just the cherry on top for a great throwback exchange. Misawa and Kawada have their first skirmish nothing to noteworthy. Misawa gets the better of it and tags out to Akiyama. Akiyama misses a dropkick and Kawada tags out to Fuchi. After a quick drop toehold by Fuchi, this becomes the stretch Akiyama show every similar to the Kawada/Akiyama singles match ten days prior to this. At one point Kawada tries to mash Akiyama head and knee together it looked painful. Kawada does not take the bait the first time Misawa breaks a hold. Kawada starts unleashing his famous stiff kicks and now locks on his Stretch Plum. Misawa breaks it up and this time Kawada does NOT take too kindly to this and BLASTS Misawa from behind with Lariat. Misawa does a great sell and drops to the floor to be massaged. There's a great spot where Akiyama actually breaks free from Fuchi and is looking for the tag BUT Misawa is NOT there, very Southern and I loved it. Fuchi hits a back suplex and they are back on top. This is the part that is famous. Misawa is seeing RED and comes in and lights up Fuchi who has Akiyama in a single leg crab and Kawada. He is BLITZING Kawada, Fuchi tries to pull him off, KO Elbow to Fuchi. Misawa is a man POSSESSED and even his own tag partner Akiyama tries to pull him off because he realizes this excessive and Misawa SHOVES Akiyama!?! Kawada takes this moment to PUNCH Misawa and then the KO Punch and then a Fuck You Cowboy Kick sends Misawa back to the floor! Epic ***** exchange that everyone needs to see. The usually stoic Misawa SNAPS and then their tag partner turmoil and Kawada unleashes two wicked punches! Akiyama does use this skirmish to his advantage as he is able to string enough offense against Fuchi that forces a Fuchi tag out and gives him time to tag Misawa. Meaning MISAWA VS KAWADA~! Red fucking hot! Kawada Kicks and Misawa responds with knees! I thought Kawada was going to OBLITERATE Misawa with a Lariat, but he WHIFFS. Elbow...TIGER DRIVER~! 1-2-NO! Nuclear Nearfall! FACELOOOOCCCCCKKKKKKK complete with FACELOOOOCCCCKKKKK call from the announcer. This little tease of an exchange ends with Akiyama tagging in. This makes you want to see Misawa vs Kawada in the Budokan bad. Akiyama hits his first High Knee which would become his trademark. Tags Misawa back in for his Frogsplash and back to FACELOOOCCKKKKK! Now it is Kawada turn to save his dumps Akiyama out but Misawa releases to SMOKE Kawada with an ELBOW! Kawada great sell of it on his ass. Misawa definitely got the last laugh in this match. Two Northern Lights Suplexes and Das Wunderkid picks up a big victory over Fuchi! Very unusual for a rookie to get the duke, very cool. Misawa vs Kawada light each other up! If this doesnt make you want to see Misawa vs Kawada, I dont know what will! Excellent match! ****1/4

Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama vs Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue, Yoshinari Ogawa) - AJPW 7/2/93 Unbeknownst to me this is apparently the greatest six man tag match of all-time, I always thought that distinction went to a matches either in '91 or '92. I am inclined to agree with this is great, but that not that great crowd. It is balls to the wall action, but it feel more consumable & easily digestible like a Summer Action Movie Blockbuster than that Oscar Award movie that sticks with you like some of their classics. Das Wunderkid Jun Akiyama replaces Kikuchi in this six-man line up. The first big interaction is the Misawa vs Kawada fight. Unlike their previous initial interactions, it is not as even (i.e. shit goes down). At first Kawada takes the lead with kicks, but Misawa storms back. Misawa end up hitting his diving elbow outside the ring. Taue stops Kobashi from diving out but Akiyama crashes down on Kawada from the top rope. Good babyface shine! Misawa tags out to Akiyama bad idea. Kawada is able to overcome with kicks near his corner and tag out to Taue. Taue hits a Jumbo High Knee, which Akiyama would eventually take for himself. Single leg crab, but Kobashi breaks to a smattering of boos with a bulldog, honestly it felt unwarranted. Ogawa begins working the midsection, love a good double stomp. Kawada & Taue continue their torture of the Supernova Rookie with Kawada unleashing a wicked Cowboy Kick on Akiyama. Akiyama wins a suplex struggle over Ogawa for a weak transition. Misawa uncorks on Ogawa. Misawa & Kobashi beat the tar out of Ogawa. Misawa gets distract by Taue constantly threatening to interfere. Ogawa counters from the top rope long enough to tag out to Kawada. Kawada comes in all piss & vinegar. Kawada Kicks. Misawa Hulks Up! Kawada CLOBBERS him with his spinning heel kick. Misawa/Kawada has been definitely been the highlight of this match. Taue comes in and rolls Snake Eyes. As Jumbo knows you cannot suplex Misawa, he slides out the back, spin wheel kick and tag out to Kobashi. Who has not seen much action and is raring to go. Big shouldertackle from Orange Crush. Suplex struggle and Taue comes out the winner with a DDT. This is when the match picks up. Kobashi/Kawada go on a tear with each other. This is a firefight brawl I am looking for. Kneelifts and kicks. Kawada wins and does a Stretch Plum. Misawa kicks Kawada in the face a bunch, but Dangerous K is unyielding. Eventually Kawada releases to say what the fuck is your problem. Firefight breaks out that Kawada wins with a jumping high kick to the face. Powerbomb on Kobashi. Misawa/Akiyama break up cover. Melee ensues. Misawa DECKS Kawada with an elbow who sells for a while. Kobashi is in a rough way. Taue and Ogawa keep him down while Kawada recovers. General heat on Kobashi who has a nice hope spot sequence where he shows life but is QUASHED by a NODOWA~! I really liked how he turned the second Nodowa attempt into a Russian Legsweep to tag out to Misawa. Misawa/Kawada meet in and it is awesome! Kawada TRUCKS Misawa with a Lariat, but you cant powerbomb Misawa. I thought you couldnt German Suplex Kawada but Misawa proves me wrong, but when Akiyama tries it, Kawada unleashes his kick counter. Akiyama misses a flying elbow in the corner I thought he was dead meat. Taue rolls Snake Eyes but Akiyama sitouts on a powerbomb and tags in Kobashi. Kobashi ends up with Rat Boy alone. Fracas ending which was great and Kobashi Moonsault Wins the match. Taue & Akiyama are still brawling. I am glad I watched this. Kawada has kinda disappointed me in 1993 but this has me revved up for 7/29/93 which is exactly its purpose. The Misawa/Kawada exchanges were lit. By far the best parts. Kobashi was also engaging, loved his face in peril and great finish stretch from him. The major problem is they sacrificed story for action. Lots of action for the workrate marks but for those wanting a little more meat on the bone, this falls short of classic status. ****

Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Steve WIlliams - AJPW 9/3/93 The Doctor Is In The House! With Gordy's unfortunate drug overdose and Hansen's getting up there in years, the mega-push of Dr. Death as the top gaijin was launched. It began a couple days prior to this with the heralded hoss workrate bombfest with Kobashi and he is immediately thrown into the fire expected to main event a Budokan Hall main event with Misawa. I think the Misawa/Hansen matches can be underrated but they have definitely had clunkers so the reputation is deserved. I feel that Doc is better suited for the Misawa formula because he is more interesting on top, in control, grinding it out than Hansen who is much more suited for brawling (once you get past the exposed knee and Cowboy Kick, Hansen doesnt have much). My recollection is that the 1994 match is incredible and one I have earmarked to pay extra close attention to as a possible dark horse pick for the best 90s All Japan match. This match I known I have seen I remember liking it but not to the same level because I didnt think Doc had truly become 1994 Dr. Death yet. This is very much Misawa by the numbers and whenever you encounter formula matches like this. The interest is to see what wrinkles the opponent can add. I think what Williams brings to the table is a raw-bone power and explosiveness that Misawa has a hard time stymieing. On three occasions, we see Williams immediately snuff out a Misawa rally with a explosive lunge or turning his arms into whips (I love how he chops) or just hurling his body weight at Misawa. Misawa tries elbows and some aerial tactics like a dropkick/tope suicida (I love when I hear random English during Japanese commentary, random Spanish really made my day). It is Doc's power/weight/explosion combo that makes him so tough. Doc definitely uses a lot of holds in between his quick counters so I can see that getting tiresome for some. Misawa for his part also tends to use holds including his FACELOOOCCKKKK when he is trying to contain the explosive Williams. I would say Dr. Death's weakness is his desire to emasculate with Misawa with slaps. We see that at the beginning of the match and he gets popped real good by an elbow. However, he doesnt really learn his lesson and again Misawa SMOKES with an elbow. It will be interesting to see if Doc's pride costs him the match. Doc's power bails him out as he presses Misawa high and rolls Snake Eyes. Taue would be proud. OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE! Nope Misawa slithers free, but Doc mows him down and goes again but still cant hold him. He ends up hitting a powerslam for two. I loved all that struggle set up a hot nearfall. Now Williams tries for the Back Drop Driver. Crowd reacts to that. I love how they have gotten that move over and I love a good tease. Doc goes balls out, does his own suicide dive and a shoulder tackle from the high rent district. The big man was leaving his feet. Doctor Bomb gets two! That was a great flurry of moves that led to a big time nearfall. Lots of tussling here and leads after a lot to a partially hit Back Drop Driver. It looked more like a conventional Back Suplex than a Back Drop Driver, which I think some AJPW fans push as Baba trying to protect the move. After that, you know the end is nigh, Doc whiffs on a lariat and ELBOW~! Tiger Driver only gets two. Misawa just WRECKS HIS SHIT WITH ROARING ELBOWS GALORE! It was brutal! Tiger Driver with Doc kicking out at three to keep his heat but c'mon no one is buying that. Misawa just beat the shit out of him. It is clear from the finishes of this and the Hansen October match both kicks out at three that Baba was worried about the thiness of his roster, but not to worry All Japan would keep delivering for years to come. Trademark Misawa match, he takes a lickin', but keeps on tickin'. It should be noted Williams did not hit Oklahoma Stampede or the BackDrop Driver fully. He was working off high-angled powerslams and the Doctor Bomb so they have plenty of gas left in the tank for a rematch. Misawa also to his credit stuck with Elbows and Tiger Driver so he has plenty left in his arsenal. In that respect this is a great first match, you establish the power vs striker dynamic and left some tricks in your back pocket for rematches. They grind for the first 12 minutes, but they start kicking ass down the stretch. If you like the Misawa style you will like this match like I did and I think this plus the Kobashi match show Dr. Death was poised to explode in 1994. ****

Toshiaki Kawada vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 7/9/93 Kawada should have sent this match in as a video application to work Stu Hart's Dungeon stretching people. Those were some gnarly submissions! Supernova Rookie Jun Akiyama is not something I have yet experienced. Halfway it hit me, the reason this is so special because you feel like you are watching any other Akiyama match and you have to remember he is a legit rookie and making this all look easy. Akiyama looked great in this. Look at all that hair! What happened, brutha? I liked the beginning with Akiyama showing his dogged determination. It was a great string of "It must be nice to be young" spots. Even though he totally whiffs on a pescado because Kawada moves and Kawada whips into the railing, it doesnt matter because Akiyama is 24 so he doesnt feel pain. He just gets back up and starts hurling lunging elbows at Kawada. It really showed the youth vs experience element. We often talk about the advantages of experience, but youth can recover a helluva lot quicker as you see with Akiyama bouncing back like rubber man. Akiyama starts targetting the arm. The work is basic but really well-done. I thought Kawada looked bored and listless. The more I watch the more the gap widens between Misawa & Kobashi from Kawada. He just does not bring the same level of work. Akiyama elbowed the arm and you wouldnt know anything happened from looking at Kawada's face. Kawada was definitely a lot more home on offense. Akiyama shows that dogged determination after some hiptoss and bodyslams by Kawada. Kawada eventually starts pelting Akiyama with Cowboy Kicks and then he bodyslams him hard on the floor. Kawada goes full Stu Hart and stretches the fuck out of Akiyama in a bunch of gnarly ways. Kawada gets complacent and stands him up and Irish Whips him. Never Irish Whip this allows Akiyama to build some momentum. We get the big Akiyama finish run. Northern Lights Suplex was a nice nearfall as was the German. He has not developed his patented high knee or Exploder yet. Kawada uses his well-schooled feet (TM Chris Jericho, color commentator extraordinaire) to counters Akiyama first with a kick to the midsection coming off the top and then a jumping high kick. Kawada had to use both of his key counters to take down the Supernova Rookie was a good way to make Akiyama look competitive in one of his first big matches. Kawada measures and MOWS HIS ASS DOWN WITH A WICKED LARIAT! Kawada was much more motivated on offense, but I felt like he slept through selling and bumping for Akiyama. Akiyama looked like a wrestler well beyond his years. Fun rookie vs. veteran match especially when Kawada is on offense. ***3/4

Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 7/29/93 Greatest match ever? That's the million dollar question, aint it? I certainly seem to think so back in 2013. I voted Flair vs Morton in the cage as my greatest match ever because I was only voting based on matches that I have done full reviews on and I hadnt done my All Japan rewatch yet. So here we are. Is this the Greatest Match Ever? The difference between now and 2013 is I have seen pretty much every Hansen vs Kobashi match up to this one. I thought the '91 match and the '93 Carnival match from just a few months prior to this are also classics and contenders for a Top 100 match. The key is the dynamic. It is 100% centered around the Kobashi victory. Kobashi does not need revenge. He does not need to hurt him. He just needs to pin him or submit. It is so pure. Kobashi is such a pure and human pro wrestler. Anyone from any time period and any culture will understand Kobashi because he is the epitome of the human condition: the emotion, fire, desire, passion, agony, disappointment, dedication, willpower, distraught everything all wrapped up in one superball of human energy. Then you have Stan Hansen who is not just a man. This is a Grizzly Bear. a Killer Whale, and a Bull IN A China Shop, all mixed into one human. There's no humanity to Stan Hansen. He's an Animal, a Beast. When you wrestle Stan Hansen it is not Man vs. Man, it is Man vs Nature. Kobashi had proven he could survive in previous encounters but could he ever conquer Hansen? Now that I've seen the '93 Carnival match this really is an extension of that match. There are some differences but for the most part they follow the same layout of Kobashi dominating the first 10 minutes or so. Big transition. Competitive finish run and a Massive Lariat finish. So lets breakdown the differences. This match Kobashi is more focused on attacking the head of Stan Hansen as opposed to the arm in the previous match. I like how this is set up. Hansen is stomping a young lion and Kobashi rushes over takes advantage and kicks him in the head. This immediately rings Hansen's bell and it is clearly from Hansen's selling he is at an immediate disadvantage. Kobashi cements this with a DDT on the outside. There are a lot of DDTs and legdrops to the head in his match. Hansen just a couple bearpaw swings but Kobashi is immediately overwhelming him with firepower. There were a lot of chops, BIG TIME Lariats, and blow to the head from Kobashi. I did like Kobashi using the Cowboy Kick to get back at Hansen. This was an all-out offensive assault from Kobashi. It was a full court press where he never let up on Hansen. Much like the Carny match, it was a low-risk offense targeting setup with facelocks, combine that with dogged determination Kobashi it just overwhelmed Hansen. Just as mentioned in the '93 Carny match, the mystique of Hansen is obliterated in this match. Kobashi has taken him to task and Hansen is left a wounded Grizzly. Now a wounded Grizzly is a dangerous grizzly, but he is not the hellraising Bull In The China Shop we are used to. Then comes the moment that has been burned me in my mind since I have first watched this match some 15 years ago. Hansen is slumped down in the corner battered and bruise. Kobashi comes charging in for the kill and Hansen just gets a straight boot up and CLOBBERS Kobashi in the face. Kobashi just crumples into a heap with the perfect glassy eye sell and I love how he just flops out of the ring. Just like the entire complexion of the match changes. Hansen dives onto Kobashi from the apron, then it is the Super Famous Powerbomb onto the concrete, another spot etched in my memory and then the elbow drop off the apron. Hansen was using his body weight and gravity do the work against Kobashi. Hansen is not able to activate Hellraising, Chaos mode, but he is 100% in command and this creates that dynamic we love. Kobashi the underdog taking on the Force of Nature. Can the human spirit overcome? They do a great job down the stretch duking it out for control. They beat the dog shit out of each other but those last 5 minutes or so are just perfect. Hansen just back suplexed Kobashi and he tugs on the elbow pad. I love this. I love when little things like this elicit such a big crowd response. Kobashi uses a drop toehold to evade and immediately leg drops the back of the head. It was so urgent. It was so electric. Then comes the barrage of leg drops because this is here chance. He was getting the shit beat out of him and now he is not going to let go. He just keeps crashing down with leg drops, climaxing with one from the top rope. 1-2-NO! Awesome nearfall. Then we gets the classic Fist Pump->Moonsault->Connects! 1-2-NO! HUGE NUCLEAR NEARFALL! Kobashi goes full Ricky Steamboat just going for a ton of quick pinning combinations desperately trying to win. At this point in his career, it was moonsault or bust, so you can really feel his anxiety and fear. He shot his best shot and Hansen still kicked out. Like the what the fuck can he do? What I love about Kobashi is that he doesnt give up. He just keeps trying. He just keeps throwing shit at Hansen. It maybe a basic as fuck schoolboy rollup but goddamnit that's all he has got. Kobashi realizes he can try to hit the Moonsault again as a way to win the match. After all if you at first dont succeed, try, try again. This leads to the iconic finish, where Hansen blasts Kobashi off the top rope with one wild swing of his bear paw and the underdog is vanquished once again, but his flame is not extinguished. He got closer than ever before. Is this the Greatest Match Ever? No. It is for a weird reason. We all advocate for watching more wrestling to give us context and a flesh out the narrative of a match, but for the first time, this may have backfired. I think the '93 Carny match exposed some flaws in this match that I had never seen. I think the opening ten minutes of this match are too easy for Kobashi. I think Hansen is much more active in playing defense in the Carny match and making Kobashi earn his offense. In this match, Hansen is content playing ragdoll. I think the Carny match having arm psychology allowed for a more focused Kobashi offensive effort. Now what the Carnival match lacked where big spots. The Foot in the Face in the Corner, The Powerbomb on the Floor, The Legdrop Sequence, The Moonsault and The Iconic Lariat finish are all very famous. In the Carny match Kobashi gets a shit ton of offense, but he does not get The Legdrop or Moonsault nearfalls which are nuclear. I think the Lariat finish off the top rope is one of the best finishes of all time. In fairness to the Carny match, the Lariat to Kobashi coming off the middle rope fit that match better. I think it comes down to do you prefer minimalism or maximalism. I am a Maxed out guy so I prefer this match to the Carny match slightly but I love well-done minimalism and that the Carny match exposed enough flaws in this match that I dont think either of these matches are the Greatest Match Ever. Both will finish in my Top 50 of all time for sure. I think if you take the first ten minutes of the Carny match and marry it with the last ten minutes of this match with some slight edits then you could say thats The Greatest Match Ever. It is ***** all the way but sometimes you gotta pick those nits.

Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue) & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi - AJPW 6/3/93 This takes place just two days after the first ever Four Corners of Heaven tag at Budokan and it is just one day removed from Kobashi & Kikuchi dropping the All Asia Tag Titles to The Patriot & Eagle. RAT BOY! Looking not very ratty and no Zebra-print! It is weird to think Kobashi and Ogawa would go onto have one of top 5 favorite matches of all time in a decade headlining the Budokan together. There are a lot of similarities between the opening of this and 6/1, Kobashi & Taue have a great even exchange. Then it is Misawa and Kawada again the crowd is rocking. Interesting here Kawada yanks Misawa down into a choke. Then we get Kikuchi and Ogawa doing their stuff. Kikuchi would do well in today's scene with all the leg lariats. Kawada works over Misawa's knee and this lasts a little longer than 6/1 that you almost think that could be the hook, but the hook is of course Kikuchi taking a shit kicking. Kobashi must be so relieved in these six-mans. I really enjoyed the heat segment on Kikuchi. I loved how it was set up. I loved how the Holy Demon Army really kicked ass. I loved how Kikuchi sold. Kikuchi has a heart three sizes too big. He thinks he can suplex Taue. God bless his heart. Taue just picks him up and slams him. The plucky Kikuchi shoot right up and actually yanks Taue over. It is not a suplex as much as a takedown. Taue is pissed. Kikuchi goes for a hiptoss, Taue blocks and picks him up and slams him down. That was great. Here comes Kawada. He hoists Kikuchi up and hurls him over the top rope onto the floor. Second time I have seen Kawada do that spot, he should have kept that. Taue SLAMS Kikuchi on a table. Then Snake Eyes on the railing. I love Taue. They work over Kikuchi's back. Deep Boston Crab by Kawada, save by Misawa. Taue gets a hold on Kikuchi and Kobashi saves. Taue is pissed. Ogawa gets a Boston Crab and Kikuchi makes the ropes. I liked that no one had to save during Ogawa. Kawada comes in and lights Kikuchi up. Taue comes back in and it comes full circle. Ogawa is able to get a leg lariat to stun Taue, Taue catches him a second time and falls back, Kikuchi crawls for the tag, Taue has the leg, Kobashi breaks Taue's grip and tag out to Misawa! I loved that! It seemed straight out of a 80s WWF Tag team match! Misawa OBLITERATES Taue with an Elbow summarily. He smokes Kawada & Ogawa. Taue and Misawa matched up well here. Taue wrestles through a Tiger Driver and hits a Samoan Drop. Kawada comes in. Kawada & Misawa trade Stretch Plum and Facelock. Misawa tags out to Kobashi. These two sure love to stiff each other. I love how committed Kobashi was to the Rolling Cradle! It is such a great move. They should bring that back and the rolling Short-Arm Scissors. Kobashi & Kikuchi do a Rocket Launcher version of Twisted Bliss! Which of course I had to let Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross know about on Twitter because I marked out hard. It turns into the Kikuchi & Ogawa show down the stretch. They trade a ton of hot nearfalls which makes sense as they clearly #5 and #6 in this match so they can bust out all the offense not worry about protecting their stuff. Kikuchi wins with the German. They did a good job tantalizing you with Misawa & Kawada. They never gave too much away from either man. Especially Misawa was just using his strikes, the Facelock and the Spinning Lariat. He never busts out his big offense. Again, I thought Taue stole the show. He was the game-changer on the heel side. He worked really well with Kikuchi. I loved how they entered the heat segment and left it. Really took advantage of David vs Goliath dynamics. Loved Taue slamming Kikuchi on the table out of rage and rolling Snake Eyes on the railing. The finish was hot too. I came out of it wanting to see Taue vs Kikuchi and Taue vs Misawa singles matches more than anything else. ****

AJPW World Tag Team Champions Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi - 6/1/93 Let the Four Corners of Heaven Era Begin! Misawa & Kawada had run its course and with Jumbo headed into semi-retirement, it came time for Kawada to spread his wings. He shook hands with nemesis Akira Taue and just a couple weeks prior to this won tag team titles from the Miracle Violence Connection. Kobashi at this time was still All Asia Tag Team Champs with Kikuchi but would drop the belts to The Patriot & Eagle the day after this match cementing his graduation from his junior tag team with Kikuchi to being the main event tag team partner of Misawa. My one complaint is the audio has two tracks of commentary. On the left side you have an announcer & Baba and the right side it is an announcer & a girl. It drives me nuts because they are two tracks and two people are talking at this same time and it creates a cacophony that distracts from the match. I really like Japanese commentary even though I dont speak a lick of Japanese because their cadence really matches the rhythm of the match. This two track thing is annoying, but we press on. My recollection of this match is they let it rip and it was gangbusters from jump. Thats not the case. I am ok with that. They start with Kobashi vs Taue to whet the Budokan's whistle and then they give them Misawa vs Kawada. There's a big reaction for that. They clearly had something there. Misawa and Kawada would go onto main event the next Budokan show in late July. It is interesting it is very even and intense in the beginning but there are no real big highspots. The first highspot is on the second go-round Kobashi gets a semi-delayed vertical suplex on Taue. Taue serves the role of game changer. Taue has been heel longer than Kawada and always felt more like nefarious scoundrel of the two. Taue really gets this party started by rolling Snake Eyes which always draws boos from the Japanese faithful. Kawada WRAPPED his Spin Heel Kick around Kobashi. I loved the struggle and urgency from both men to get the Stretch Plum on and to escape the Stretch Plum. Taue dumped him to the outside and kicked some ass. Strong heat segment. Kawada wants an abdominable stretch, they tussle and Kobashi drops down into a ROLLING CRADLE! Perfect use of the move, this discombobulates Kawada long enough to tag out. I have noticed in All Japan hot tags dont last long. Even though Misawa came to kick ass, Kawada rifles Misawa's knee with a couple precision kicks that destabilize him so Kawada and can take him down with a single leg crab. Theres a nice sequence where Taue wants a kneecrusher so Misawa clamps on a headlock to stop it so Taue switches to a waistlock and takes him over with a Back Drop Driver. Great organic build to the move. Misawa flips out of a back suplex, ELBOWS Taue, and gingerly tags out. Again, Kobashi can get a legdrop and a cover but his hot tag does not last long. Kawada ends up picking him and chucking him out of the ring. Then Kawada does a very impressive delayed vertical suplex on him. Two very impressive feats of strength from the smaller Kawada. Kawada reminded me why I liked him so much as a teenager. It was his nonchalant stiffness. He threw some really great kicks, chops and lariats during this part of the match. Taue comes in and just tosses Kobashi around. Great suplex slam and I LOVE when Taue just picks guys up in the Back Suplex and tosses them! I love when Kawada feeds a wrestler to the wolf. NODOWA~! Kawada & Kobashi really ramp up the desperate urgency on the struggle over the Stretch Plum. At the halfway point, this has been all Holy Demon Army. They have isolated the junior partner and are kicking his ass while Misawa may have a knee injury stemming from Kawada kicks. Kawada and Taue have great chemistry together and it has been great getting back to watching them do their thing. Let the All Japan workrate bonanza begin! This is what everyone has been trying to replicate for the past 25 years but still nobody does it better than originals. That Stretch Plum on Kobashi is just dripping with drama. Kawada is torturing the very expressive Kobashi right in front of Misawa, just inches from making a tag. When it does happen! If you could bottle the electricity in this moment, you could power the world for years. God Almight! Goes crazy that camera rumbles. Kawada tries to head Misawa off at the pass by kicking him as he comes through the ropes. Misawa Walks Tall! MOWS DOWN KAWADA WITH ELBOWS! This was raucous! Taue comes in to feed to and Misawa mows him down too. Misawa Is The Man! There are some really nice touches during this segment that show the difference between the two teams. When Misawa clamps on his FACELOOOOCCCKKKKK Taue comes into make the save. Misawa never did that when Kobashi was in the Stretch Plum. When Taue cant get Misawa over in the NODOWA~! Kawada comes in kicks Misawa in the back of the head. These little things go along way in Puroresu where heels are more often understated. It all builds to next NODOWA when Kobashi comes in and breaks it up because he is pissed off at the cheating. I really dug that. The babyfaces finally have a chance to let it rip down the stretch. Misawa sends Taue flying off the apron with a dropkick. You know that famous gif of the Lucha Blue Gorilla mascot going flying off the apron thats what Taue was like! Kobashi dropkicks and then Taue-seeking diving elbow from Misawa extends the rally. Kobashi looks to press, but Taue kicks off twice and NODOWA~! I love that majority of Taue's offense is just dropping guys throat first on the top rope and chokeslams. He is the best. I love how Kobashi earns his own comeback. After the Nodowa, he is down and Kawada starts chopping him. Kobashi MANS UP on his own and earns his finish sequence. I think thats important as Kobashi was graduating to their ranks and was low man of the four on the totem this shows everyone he is all man. Kobashi Hulks Up chops through it and then clobbers Kawada with a Lariat. He goes to town with DDTs so Taue comes to save only for Misawa to come in and they hit Stereo DDTs. Thats one of those things that would have gotten over huge in Charlotte but in Tokyo not so much. Is there anything pumps you up more for than the fist pump before a Kobashi moonsault? I love that. The dastardly Taue breaks up the pin after Kobashi lands a perfect moonsault. Misawa attacks Taue and Kobashi hits a true Jackknife Powerbomb (Kevin Nash eat your heart out) for two. Kobashi believes if at first you dont succeed try, try again as he goes for the moonsault, but Kawada yanks down. Misawa tags in and the place is rocking all over again. I think it is very interesting that in these last minutes Kawada gets the last laugh going into the title match. He blasts Misawa with a jumping high kick to the head which ends the rally. Taue comes in and just starts lawn darting Misawa into turnbuckles. Misawa actually recovers using his spin kicks. In comes Kobashi and he knows all he has in his arsenal is the moonsault so he goes all in on that. Taue knows Kawada cant handle one more so comes to save. Misawa goes to attack Taue on the apron and Kawada blasts Misawa off the apron. SUPER NODOWA~! Misawa saves! NODOWA ON MISAWA! POWERBOMB ON KOBASHI! 1-2-NO! That should have been the finish. Kobashi is valiant in his defiance but Taue blasts him from behind hits another Nodowa and then Kawada blasts him for good measure with a kick and then a Powerbomb for the win. Wow! They went all out on the finish stretch! The Holy Demon Army came out looking like monsters. Misawa & Kobashi were great valiant babyfaces, but Kawada & Taue looked like killers. I really felt like Taue and Kobashi came off as the MVPs. I think Misawa had the biggest single moment off the hot tag from the Stretch Plum and Kawada looked vicious, but in terms of bringing the action it was Taue and Kobashi. Taue was the game changer. He was the one willing to get his hands dirty. He was dropping fools on their throats or chokeslamming him to hell. The reason Holy Demon Army won was he stopped the Moonsault and then Super Nodowa on Kobashi. Kobashi is always a show-stealer especially in stoic All Japan because he brings so much emotion but he was the one who could look weak. Misawa had to have his offense protected because he was the Man. So the match relied on Kobashi hitting his big offense and letting that get kicked out of. Also everyone knew Kobashi was eating the fall but they did it in the most badass way possible with a ton of NODOWAS AND POWERBOMBS! Excellent balls to the wall workrate dash that All Japan excels at! ****1/2

Holy Demon Army vs The Patriot & The Eagle - AJPW 2/24/94 I have always been interested in All Japan's midcard especially wrestlers like Patriot & Eagle (Jackie Fulton, Bobby's shoot brother). They just seem so different. I always thought the Patriot has a cool mask, like one of my favorite actually, Eagle's mask is good too. Patriot is a big dude. I am surprised it took Vince until 1997 to hire this guy. He looks perfect for WWF. Great dropkick too (good height and power), athletic, powerful. I thought he was expressive even under the hood. Eagle definitely had some brother in him. After the double dropkick, that was definitely a Bobby Fulton like celebration. All Japan was such a hoss-friendly promotion at this time, it is not too surprising that Patriot was fine there. I was surprised how equitable the match was. Holy Demon Army did not really kick the shit out of them. It was pretty 50/50. We get Taue doing his Snake Eyes and Kawada with the Single Leg Crab step on the head. Neither guy really stiffed the gaijin. The best part of the match was Patriot's hot tag. It seemed to wake up Taue who started to get heated and fight back. I thought it was interesting they still an All Japan style finish run even in a midcard match like this. You had big nearfalls where partners were saving. Kawada took a German from Eagle. Eagle did a Missile Dropkick into a Full Nelson Slam by Patriot, is that Uncle Slam? Which I think is my favorite punny move name. Kawada/Taue get back on offense. Kawada hits a powerbomb save by Patriot and then a modified Stretch Plum gets the submission. I guess thats the biggest difference is that submission actually got a win. A main eventer would never submit. Kawada & Taue were on cruise control. Patriot looked really good and Eagle was servicable. If someone told me that Patriot & Eagle had a lost classic, I'd believe they are capable. Whether they got the opportunity and hit a home run is a different story. Unfortunately since most of the focus of All Japan is on the Four Corners and Hansen, Doc & Gordy, there is not much footage of Patriot & Eagle, but this was fine. If you have not gotten the chance I recommend the Del Wilkes (The Patriot) appearance on the Steve Austin show. It is amazing how strung out on painkillers he was at this time. Worth it for the novelty of seeing Patriot & Eagle, but it is just a good match. ***

Best of WWE 2010-2014 Top 6 Pretty amazing that with this publication that I have thoroughly covered WWE from 1978-2014. I have looked over 500 matches. Now that being said 500 match barely scratches the surface of all the WWE matches that have occurred over the time period. I covered anything that was of a note and additionally included matches that piqued my interest and was able to find some hidden gems. I am definitely still looking for any further recommendations. The Top 6 of WWE in 2010-2014 was dominated by John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk. Each of these men have at least two matches in the top 6. Who of these four all-time greats will take the top spot? Click and see! https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2020/04/pro-wrestling-love-vol-56-best-of-wwe.html

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Stan Hansen - AJPW 10/23/93 Misawa vs Hansen was a popular main event in 1993 for All Japan. They headlined the finals of the Carnival, had a title defense in May and was the main event of the big October Anniversary Show. I think 1993 All Japan has been defined by the beginning of the legendary Four Corners of Heaven Tag Series and the incredible Hansen vs Kobashi rivalry, but in terms of main event rivalry this was the match. Not only that I think this was Stan's Swan Song as a main event singles draw. He would win the title one more time in 1995 for reasons I am not sure of, but after this, the focus began to shift to Dr. Death Steve Williams and the Four Corners of Heaven. This makes sense as Stan would turn 45 in 1994. Not the most enthralling first fifteen minutes to start off this main event. Misawa liberally uses his elbow at the beginning of the match to assert his dominance. Hansen powders to shake out the cobwebs. He comes back in and uses kicks and elbows to garner some control. Misawa manages to wrangle him in a surfboard, but Hansen uses a single leg trip to get a leg lace. Misawa sells well wriggling around. Hansen leaves his arm vulnerable. Misawa grabs it and turns it into a cross armbreaker. Misawa begins working the arm, which seems interesting. He beats the arm with elbows and works armbars. He uses the over the shoulder arm breaker. Again Hansen powders and again he uses this to take control. He POPS Misawa real good with an elbow upon his reentry into the ring. There goes anything interesting. Hansen is kinda boring on top when he works a standard paced match. He has his go-to's like the exposed knee and the Cowboy Kick, but there's a lot of chinlockery. This has definitely been the most boring start to a Hansen vs Misawa match. Misawa starts to fire up and so Hansen gets desperate with lunging shouldertackle, a dropkick and throwing Misawa down, but Misawa wants to take over and so he does. The usual Misawa comeback sequence unfolds. No really strong transition. Hansen is kinda just standing there taking it. It is weird watching Hansen just ragdoll for Misawa. Misawa misses his diving elbow off the top. Hansen goes for a single leg crab?!! Hansen's decisions in these Misawa matches have been peculiar. He tries powerbomb, but Misawa still has too much strength. They botch a spot. Misawa I think is supposed to reverse a powerslam mid-air, but it just looks awkward Misawa gets a 2 count. Misawa dropkicks a flat-footed Hansen out of the ring. This is really weird. Misawa missed a plancha and Hansen throws him down on the floor with a powerbomb. Ok thats more like it! Hansen gets a two count. Good nearfall for Hansen. He hits his big middle rope splash for two. Ok here we go Lariat and go home. Misawa elbows out of the corner, Hansen comes back in and Misawa gets a Sunset Flip for a 3 Count ?!?! Hansen kicks out at 3 and immediately pounces on Misawa. Wow! What a lame finish! Especially for a Budokan Main Event?!! Hansen gave a totally soul-less performance. He lost all his uniqueness. That "think shoot, but work" mentality. The bull in the China Shop. This Stan Hansen was just mailing it in. He was flat-footed in his feeds for Misawa. Just standing waiting to be hit. He was chinlocking. He was hitting the spots but putting no personality into it. The finish was wretched. The Misawa formula is not conducive to great Hansen matches. Hansen does not do well in mid-tempo, grind it out situations. He is NOT Bret Hart. But still they had two great matches, but this match is terrible. One of the worst matches between two of the best of all-time. I think more people should watch this so they can get a reality check on Misawa & Hansen. I think we all need that sometime. Our heroes (Misawa & Hansen are both Top 5 workers of all time in my opinion) are fallible.

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue - AJPW 2/28/93 The last classic native vs native match before the paradigm shift when Kawada joins forces with Taue. So for a short time Taue fulfilled his role as heir to Jumbo as the top native heel in AJPW. I like Taue a lot and I liked this match a lot, but it was clear they needed to turn Kawada to even out the sides. Misawa gains control early with an armbar uses it to set up a dropkick and then another armbar but with better positioning. Taue uses his size advantage to get out. Misawa elbows him so Taue THROWS HIS ASS DOWN! I liked that a lot. Taue goes for a headlock, but Misawa uses technique to attempt a cross armbreaker. Taue uses a combination of closed fists and his length to escape. The closed fists were the first sign that Taue had given up hope of wrestling this match on the up & up. Taue does NOT give Misawa a clean break. He beats him down with chops and open hand slaps. It is great shit. The Japanese really hate when Taue does the hot shot. He does that twice and the crowd is pissed each time. He beats Misawa up on the outside. He works over Misawa with some basic holds like Octopus stretch. Misawa starts to show some life like catching a charging Taue in a Tiger Driver attempt but Taue squashes that with his size and drops Misawa across the top rope neck first like I mentioned earlier. Misawa gets a dropkick sending to the floor. Misawa has heat-seeking engaged and flips over to the apron and nails Taue with an elbow. However, he turns his back too soon and Taue clobbers him and gets a back suplex on the floor. Then a Dynamic Bomb, but it has not been named as such so there for not as impactful as it would be in 1995. He gets a nearfall. Then Dynamic Bomb in the ring. If this was 1995, it would be curtains, but in 1993 it is another kickout. The novelty of this match is that Taue is wrestling like a true heel which is rare in Japan. He was stretching the rules and brawling on the outside. Can Misawa overcome or will Taue win with his dirty tactics? NODOWA?!? Now we are talking, but Misawa armdrags out. Taue rolls Snake Eyes to re-assert control. He smacks Misawa around in the corner this only serves to fire Misawa up who wants to hook up a Tiger Driver, but Taue breaks free. Taue wants a Powerbomb but Misawa-rana. Typically you cant powerbomb Misawa, Taue should consider himself lucky earlier. Misawa snaps off a lot of what we expect from a Misawa finish run but with special emphasis on the Facelock. He was really trying to get that over in his first Triple Crown reign because I dont remember that from the back half of the 90s. Theres a great sequence where Taue blocks the Diving Elbow and then throws MISAWA DOWN! The crowd is buzzing and NODOWA~! WOW! 1-2-NO! Bummer! Great nearfall. Take us home Misawa. First Taue hits a Missile Dropkick for one last nearfall. Alright, ok, I dig that. Misawa hits a spin kick and a German (which he already hit earlier which is unusual to see that in wrestling). It takes two Tiger Drivers to win the match. I think cut out the German and second Tiger Driver to make it more efficient. I liked Taue getting a lot of big nearfalls, Powerbomb, Nodowa and Missile Dropkick. I thought Taue held up his end of the bargain well. He was great playing dirty his Snake Eyes and open hand slaps looked great. Typical Misawa extended comeback but more compact than we would see later. There are plenty better Misawa/Taue matches, their 95 Carny final is a contender for my favorite match ever, but this one is still great. ****

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Stan Hansen - AJPW 5/21/93 Misawa's Magic Elbow was established in his Triple Crown victory over Hansen in August of 92 when he basically KO'd him with one Elbow. At the Carny Final, Misawa's elbow brought Misawa within a half-count of winning and almost rendered Hansen's lariat arm useless. Hansen gutted through it and a desperation lariat and then a powerbomb got him the win. This is the rubber match. Misawa's elbow has become a focal point of the rivalry and now we see Hansen doing the smart thing and working over it. I liked the very beginning. Hansen bumrushing Misawa trying to bully him. Thats what he would do to Kawada or Kobashi, but I think in the past he has been a little more cautious with Misawa. Misawa fights through this early onslaught and sends him packing. Hansen connects with a suckerpunch when he gets back in. This is a short-lived advantage as Misawa hits an ELBOW~! Hansen crumples but it is too early for Misawa to pin him. This next section is pretty uninspired. Misawa is content to work holds and at one point Hansen starts to work the leg because thats the limb he has access to. It kinda feels like Misawa should hit his diving elbow to the outside twice but they never really tease it. The match picks up when Misawa unwisely goes to the ropes when Hansen is on the outside. Hansen snatches Misawa's arm and yanks down on the top rope. He pulls him to the outside and beats down on the arm. The climax is smashing a TV into the arm. I loved that! Back in the ring, he works the arm. Misawa hits an elbow but is in too much pain to capitalize and Hansen takes him down with an armbar. He uses the exposed knee and Cowboy Kick on Misawa's injured elbow. He drags him to the apron and does an arm stretcher there. Hansen's big climax to this heat segment is he gets a nearfall with a Powerbomb this is a play off of the Carny Final win. The arm psychology has definitely been the best part of this match thus far. It will be interesting to see how Misawa overcomes this or if Hansen's new strategy will pay dividends with a three count? It does pay off in the short term. Misawa is a tentative in his counters. When he goes for his spinning lariat or diving elbow, Hansen is able to counter because Misawa is not 100% committed due to his bad arm. The worst part of this match is all the lame ways Hansen comes up with to miss his Lariat. He tugs at his elbow pad which makes the crowd react. At one Misawa shakes him off like a pitcher would baseball. Almost as if to say, too early bro, Hansen proceeds to miss his lariat in comically bad ways, taking exaggerated tumbles to the outside. Misawa all of sudden wins suplex battles on the floor. Misawa becomes obsessed with his facelock or a sleeper. If only we had the 10/92 announcer screaming "FACELOOOOOOCK!" to make this interesting. They do a little ring around the rosie and Misawa SMOKES him with an Elbow! Crowd pops for that! Misawa now really locks on his Facelock and then hits Macho Man Elbow (hey why didnt he do that more often?). Hansen just starts slapping Misawa. This entire finish run has been really weird. Lots of false starts and weird transitions. Hasen swings wildly and misses the Lariat in a normal way. Back to FACLOOOCCCCKKKKK Hansen again counters and slams him on the top rope and knees him. Only for Misawa to hit a crossbody. This is bizarre. Misawa counters Hansen's kick with a ROARING ELBOW~! Greatly prefer August 1992 and Carny Final 93 match to this. I am kinda surprised this is generally considered the best of Hansen/Misawa. The finish stretch is a mess. I liked the arm psychology and I can get behind the Facelock psychology to sap Hansen of his energy but the transitions were so weird. Its still a good match, but not quite as great as the other Hansen/Misawa matches. ***1/4

Holy Demon Army vs Dr. Death & Big Bossman - AJPW 12/1/93 Holy Shit! Big Bossman was the star of this! What a tremendous performance! He brutalizes Toshiaki Kawada who was dealing with a shoot knee injury. Kawada's knee selling is sublime here just like in 12/3/93. Then on top of that he has become the God King of the Uppercut as he just rifles Taue every chance he gets. The Holy Demon Army turn into a babyface tag team with Kawada selling his knee. Who knew Taue was such an awesome hot tag! He showed such great fire! The match is JIP about 5 minutes. Doc and Kawada throw the smaller Kawada around at will and then start working the knee. Kawada throws desperation kicks at Doc's knee in retaliation and tags out. Taue starts dropping Doc on the top rope to some jeers surprisingly. I guess it is a heel move, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Bossman breaks up a Taue chinlock with a knee. Bossman took to Japan very well. Taue knocks Bossman off the apron in retaliation but this distracts him long enough for Doc mount a comeback and go toe to toe with Taue. He can tag out to Bossman who lands his first of many BRUTAL Uppercuts to Taue and then steps on his face twice. He is not getting as much as heel heat maybe because Taue is the biggest heel native. Great work by Bossman, Taue his Back suplex to get out. Kawada kicks but Doc immediately comes in and kicks the bad knee. Thats bullshit no hot tag. Dick move to go after the bad knee. These big behemoths run a clinic devastating the knee. Bossman tells Doc "Hold him brutha, I wanna elbow that knee on the apron". Bossman gets it. Doc kneecrusher on the railing. This is good shit. Great verbal selling by Kawada. Cant wait to watch 12/3/93 again! Kawada hits an enziguiri and here comes Hot Tag Taue! He is a house afire! He is clobbering everything that moves. Nodowa?!? No Doc saves. Taue takes them both on until Bossman NAILS him with an uppercut! Wind up and it is out of here! This is insane! How good those uppercuts are. Doc & Bossman splashing Taue in the corner. Bossman stradling him and then hitting that signature uppercut. This is amazing! Doc gets a powerslam for two. With Kawada's knee fucked and now they have isolated Taue, it is not looking good for the Holy Demon Army. Oklahoma Stampede broken up by Kawada kick to the knee and Taue tags out. I love how Kawada keeps kicking people in the knee because he keeps getting kicked in the knee. Kawada gets a powerbomb on the bigger Williams but Bossman saves. Stretch Plum! Bossman saves with an open handed palm strike to the head and this sets up OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE WAIT!??! Rollup by Kawada! Doctor Bomb! Clean! This time gets two for Dr. Death. Bossman gives Kawada a taste of uppercuts so Kawada lands a jumping high kick! Bossman does a great Blackwell weeble wobble sell and here comes Hot Tag Taue! Who is red hot! Dropkick! DDT! Doc interferes, Spinebuster and Bossman Splash from the top. Kawada high kick and Taue superplex on Bossman! Bossman Uppercut! Taue fights through it but is caught in the Bossman Slam! Kawada saves! Popeye Wind Up and the Uppercut connects! Kawada clobbers Doc. Kawada Kicks Bossman in the head for NODOWA~! Kawada kicks Doc in the head! NODOWA~! Announcer loses it! NODOWA AGAIN FOR THE WIN! I can see Meltzer really likes this style. It is very, very heavy on workrate. What I think separates it from today's stuff. Is that still feels like a competition. The transitions are meaningful. It does not feel overly choreographed or overly cooperative. Theres a lot of action, but it still feels like a struggle. I loved Bossman Uppercutting the shit out of people. I wish there was more Kawada stuff but they needed to save him for 12/3, The finish run was hot. Great shit! ****

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Stan Hansen - AJPW 4/21/93 Champions Carnival Finals In a moment where many thought the Universe would be Annihilated, Misawa's Elbow met Hansen's Lariat in a collision that many physicists speculated was the cause of blackholes in many far off galaxies. Thankfully for the human race, we could just enjoy this moment of the two unstoppable forces colliding! Another great installment in the criminally underrated Misawa vs Hansen feud. I didnt like this quite as much as the August 1992 title switch. Misawa had his breakthrough win against Hansen on that night and it was all due to his Trusty Elbow which Hansen put over as death. Since then Misawa has beaten the top two native challengers, Kawada and Taue, but this is his first singles match against Hansen since the Triple Crown title victory. Since this is the Champions Carnival, the Triple Crown is not on the line. Can Misawa prove his is not a one punch fluke? Hansen vs Misawa has a different feel from the rest of All Japan at the time. It is much gritter and more minimalist. There are a lot less highspots and more emphasis on strikes. I liked how chippy it was at the beginning of the match. They felt like they were fighting through each other's offense. Hansen was going for the eyes and Misawa was just trying to hammer elbows. Misawa was content to work headlocks at the beginning. Hansen was looking to dish maximum punishment using the hard parts of his body, elbow, exposed knee and cowboy kicks. Hansen gains control when he drags Misawa to the apron out of a figure-4 headlock and lunges at him with an elbow. Big Powerbomb by Hansen gives him his first nearfall. Hansen has a phenomenal dropkick in the early 90s. It carries weight and explosiveness. Hansen signals for the Lariat. Swing & a MISS! Misawa ELBOW DEATH~! Hansen goes down to a knee and a second elbow causes Hansen to collapse but kicks out this time! Huge heat on this nearfall because of what went down in August. This shows Misawa is going to have dig deeper than in August to win. We get the frogsplash and now Misawa wants the Tiger Driver. Hansen blocks. Then in a moment when time stopped, Misawa's Elbow Collided with Hansen's Lariat sending shockwaves throughout the universe. The selling by both men is otherworldly. I love that both took 2-3 full minutes to sell. It really put the moment as something special. Misawa was in pain and agony. Hansen was in full wounded bear selling writhing in pain on the outside. It was genius stuff. Misawa was relentless when Hansen returned to the ring. Tons of elbows to the bad arm. Then out of nowhere LARIAOTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! WOW! My eyes went wide because Hansen just gutted through it and almost decapitated Misawa. Hush fell over the crowd. Hansen could not capitalize because he was in so much pain, but when he did cover Misawa got his foot on the ropes for two. Hansen wants the powerbomb, Misawa tried to mount a comeback, but too much was taken out of him. In a fitting way, they are both on the mat and Hansen just starts kicking him in the head hard repeatedly. There was no elaborate setup to the final powerbomb. It was this small, lo-fi, gritty, minimalist sequence where Hansen just kept kicking him in the head. Second powerbomb does Misawa in who really never had a chance after the Lariat. I loved this match because it is really stripped down. Its a fight early. Just a lot of strikes. Misawa really only hits one signature move besides the Elbows and that is the Frogsplash. So you leave plenty in tank for the rematch. You get the Big Elbow nearfall to play off August. The Elbow/Lariat is such a cool spot. The finish was great Hansen gets the desperation lariat and grits through the pain for the win. Now Misawa vs Hansen Triple Crown rematch is inevitable and plants the seed of doubt that Misawa could be a fluke making their May rematch all the more intriguing. ****

Mistuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Stan Hansen & Giant Baba - AJPW 11/30/93 Didnt think this could live up to the hype in a zillion years, but hear I am to tell you believe the hype Giant Baba in 1993 had a damn great match. The part that really sold me was when Kobashi has this menacing look on his face that he is about to unload a Lariat onto Baba. Kobashi comes charging only to eat a BIG Chop from Baba! I popped huge! Baba's aura added a lot to this match and increased the novelty. Also the crowd was wicked invested into Baba. It turned Stan Hansen into a super babyface and turned Misawa into a super heel. I did seem to notice that crowd had a harder time bringing itself to boo Kobashi, but they loved booing Misawa. The match is JIP by 6 minutes or so and we are already in a Kobashi heat segment. Misawa interrupts and attacks Baba draws boos. I know it is serious that when Misawa goes into elbow Hansen during a Boston Crab it draws major boos. I was like "Ok so we are flipping everything on its head". I think Misawa was a good subtle heel, BUT Hansen really embraced his newfound babyface popularity with the crowd. He was a great cheerleader for Baba on the apron. Even though this is a 30 minute draw they NEVER telegraph it and thats another secret to this being great. I figured around the 25 minute time call they were going to a draw but I never had an inkling before that. Hansen teased his Lariat twice. Kobashi nailed his moonsault on BABA!!! Baba was hitting his Russian LegSweep, Lariat and Kick of Fear. You can usually sniff out a draw but everyone went balls to the wall and was trying to win the match. Other things that stood out to me was the Rolling Cradle by Kobashi on Baba! Loved Baba/Hansen double teams like the double chop and the Can-Can Big Boot together. During the heat segment on Baba, Hansen just comes in and THROWS KOBASHI DOWN IN A POWERBOMB! Hansen BLASTING Kobashi with the LARIAT to the outside! Misawa held nothing back in this match. He was blasting everyone. There was a great Hansen splash from the top rope on Misawa. It felt like a very fat splash. Lots of body weight. Down the stretch you get classic Baba overhand chop to Misawa and Russian Legsweep, huge heat on the nearfall. Misawa just unleashes three brutal spinning elbows on Hansen. Misawa elbows Baba down for 2! It was just a great bomb-throwing sprint down the last ten minutes. At end of it all, it is Baba standing tall. He knocks Kobashi down with an elbow and then Misawa with a Kick of Fear. Kobashi bumped and sold so hard for Baba. If you love workrate-heavy matches with a ton of drama and focus on competition this match is for you. They just let it rip. ****1/4

Mistuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Stan Hansen & Giant Baba - AJPW 11/30/93 Didnt think this could live up to the hype in a zillion years, but hear I am to tell you believe the hype Giant Baba in 1993 had a damn great match. The part that really sold me was when Kobashi has this menacing look on his face that he is about to unload a Lariat onto Baba. Kobashi comes charging only to eat a BIG Chop from Baba! I popped huge! Baba's aura added a lot to this match and increased the novelty. Also the crowd was wicked invested into Baba. It turned Stan Hansen into a super babyface and turned Misawa into a super heel. I did seem to notice that crowd had a harder time bringing itself to boo Kobashi, but they loved booing Misawa. The match is JIP by 6 minutes or so and we are already in a Kobashi heat segment. Misawa interrupts and attacks Baba draws boos. I know it is serious that when Misawa goes into elbow Hansen during a Boston Crab it draws major boos. I was like "Ok so we are flipping everything on its head". I think Misawa was a good subtle heel, BUT Hansen really embraced his newfound babyface popularity with the crowd. He was a great cheerleader for Baba on the apron. Even though this is a 30 minute draw they NEVER telegraph it and thats another secret to this being great. I figured around the 25 minute time call they were going to a draw but I never had an inkling before that. Hansen teased his Lariat twice. Kobashi nailed his moonsault on BABA!!! Baba was hitting his Russian LegSweep, Lariat and Kick of Fear. You can usually sniff out a draw but everyone went balls to the wall and was trying to win the match. Other things that stood out to me was the Rolling Cradle by Kobashi on Baba! Loved Baba/Hansen double teams like the double chop and the Can-Can Big Boot together. During the heat segment on Baba, Hansen just comes in and THROWS KOBASHI DOWN IN A POWERBOMB! Hansen BLASTING Kobashi with the LARIAT to the outside! Misawa held nothing back in this match. He was blasting everyone. There was a great Hansen splash from the top rope on Misawa. It felt like a very fat splash. Lots of body weight. Down the stretch you get classic Baba overhand chop to Misawa and Russian Legsweep, huge heat on the nearfall. Misawa just unleashes three brutal spinning elbows on Hansen. Misawa elbows Baba down for 2! It was just a great bomb-throwing sprint down the last ten minutes. At end of it all, it is Baba standing tall. He knocks Kobashi down with an elbow and then Misawa with a Kick of Fear. Kobashi bumped and sold so hard for Baba. If you love workrate-heavy matches with a ton of drama and focus on competition this match is for you. They just let it rip. ****1/4