[1993-01-08-AJPW-New Year's Giant Series] Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi & Jun Akiyama

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Kobashi plays FIP here, and he does a really good job. He tags out to Kikuchi, who does well, but only briefly. Finally, Misawa comes in and the match swings back in their favor, with Misawa landing a beautiful jumping lariat on Taue. The standing off of opponents during pin and submission attempts to prevent saves is an All Japan staple, and a nice touch. Misawa's team works really cohesively as a team, with stuff like Kobashi/Kikuchi doing the belly-to-back into somersault on opponent thing. This seems to prompt Taue's team that they need to do the same in order to survive. But it's all for naught, as Akiyama scores the win with a German suplex on Kikuchi, which I would imagine was a big win for him considering where he was at this point in time. Good match.

[benj]

93 All Japan, will it still be considered one of the best years for a promotion after all the yearbook sets are done? Good match.

[goodhelmet]

Short answer: Yes

[jdw]

But don't forget: WWE Raw a few years ago with Shawn in the central roll had the best run of TV ever~!

 

I don't know if people will get just how much "good" AJPW stuff got left off the 1993 set because there isn't enough space for all of it. The original backdrop driver match was a good six man tag, and better than some of the WCW TV stuff that made the set (and it's not like that WCW stuff was crappy). Here's three perfectly good matches:

 

07/11/93 Hansen & Bossman vs. Misawa & Kobashi ***1/2

10/03/93 Misawa & Kobashi & Akiyama vs Williams & Bossman & Slinger ***1/2

11/21/93 Williams & Bossman & Slinger vs. Misawa & Kobashi & Akiyama ***3/4

 

One certainly can understand them not being on the set. The last two bleed a little close to the Tag League, where we'll get to see a fair amount of Doc & Bossman. But the first one is kind of interesting and unique: Gordy was still around, so Bossman wasn't yet paired with Doc. Hansen would get DiBiase back as a partner the next series, which also was the one where Gordy OD'd... so Bossman/Bubba went over there. So it's unique, and also there's Stan in his career year opposite a couple of guys he'd worked well with, and a chance to see Bossman right off the bat in AJPW... not bad.

 

In the context of 1993 AJPW, it's not a *great* match. But it was back-to-back on the same TV show as Kawada vs Jun... and no one was exactly blown away that AJPW TV had two pretty good matches on back-to-back. Par for the couse.

 

Or how about the second night of the Sapporo Double Shot in May, where Kawada-Williams and Gordy-Kobashi don't make it? Or Carny where there's a lot on the cutting room floor such as Kawada-Williams, Kobashi-Furnas, Misawa-Hansen, Hansen-Taue and Gordy-Williams.

 

The Yearbook touches on the high end stuff. There's just not enough space to touch on the depth.

 

John

[jdw]

And another one looking over the January 1993 AJPW TV listings:

 

Feb 7th 1993 (taped 1/26 Osaka)

3. Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi *** 3/4 20:11 complete

 

I'm surprised that it didn't make it as it's pretty much the first Taue vs Kobashi of note, sets up the Taue challenge of Misawa, and gives a good comp to what Misawa does with Taue.

 

That's how loaded the year is: Kobashi's singles matches against Taue, Krofatt and Gordy get left on the cutting room floor due to space. Meltzer star ratings of ***3/4, **** and ****1/4 respectively.

 

Wacky loaded year.

 

John

[Death From Above]

I don't know if people will get just how much "good" AJPW stuff got left off the 1993 set because there isn't enough space for all of it.

I've mentioned this before at one point, but my 1991-1993 Japan TV tapes are literally the only VHS I have ever worn out. It is totally absurd how much good stuff there is in there.

[Matt Franklin]

This was really good throughout, though it never really hit the 'great' level that many other AJ 6-mans do. Taue's Arm Bomber onto Kobashi on the exposed floor was cringeworthy, in a 'shit, is he dead?' way. Fuchi is such a cantankerous old bastard, and I love his facials and methodical way in which he goes to town on his opponents. Akiyama looked really good for his experience level, and his second german to finish the match was pretty as hell. Once again, really good, though I have enjoyed the WCW and WWF matches on this disc more.

[Kevin Ridge]

After watching 90-91 I’m missing Jumbo not being involved. Taue continues to get boos from the crowd though. Taue and team do a good job of shielding out their opponents when they are going for the pinfall. Kikuchi isn’t as fun when he’s not getting thrown all over the place by both Taue and Jumbo.

[PeteF3]

These matches do lose a bit without Jumbo's involvement. Even seeing the team come out to Taue's theme and not his was jarring. The Akiyama/Kikuchi exchanges are the highlights here--they match up well and it's not inconceivable for either guy to pin the other. Jun ends up getting the win, which is huge, though it's still not enough for the two sides to be close to equal yet.

[WingedEagle]

Loved the discussion about some of the AJ highlights from the year that didn't make the cut. I've seen all of the high end stuff multiple times and I believe much of what's below that at least once, but this gives me a reference for some other items to look out for, time permitting.

 

Definitely agree with the sentiment that with Jumbo gone and Kawada still on Misawa's team these 6 mans don't feel quite as big as they usually do. But that doesn't mean they're not fun with something to offer in each. Here, you've got crisp offense from Kikuchi, great selling by Taue for Kobashi's offense, and judging by the crowd's reaction they've decided this is the year Kobashi makes the leap. He may not fit the standard American profile of one, but every time I watch him Taue reaffirms that he is just a phenomenal heel. Other guys have the advantage of promos, sneak attacks and blatant rulebreaking. He simply does little things so well that piss people off. Reminds me of Meltzer writing (I think, but forgive me if my memory is off base) how Jack Brisco got a crowd to completely turn on him by simply putting his foot on the rope to break a Dory pinfall. Loved the spot with Kobashi hitting a backdrop suplex on Akiyama, then slamming Kikuchi on him for near fall. Akiyama pins Kikuchi after a couple of Germans. I assume this made the cut as Akiyama's first win in a big match?

 

***1/4

[soup23]

Good match and I agree this is a baseline for what is a loaded year. Misawa feels like the ace which is a nice contrast tow here he was at in the 1990 and 1991 stuff.. Taue leading his charge was nice to see and AKiyama on that side of things was odd but we do see him starting out right there in the big boys and not totally getting overmatched. I look forward to 93 All Japan probably more than anything else throughout the year. (***1/4)

[garretta]

This wasn't a whole lot until Taue chokeslammed Kobashi on the floor, then business picked up with the heels targeting Kobashi's neck. By the finish, all six guys were back in the groove. Taue hasn't hit his stride yet as the new leader of Misawa's opposition, but given how mean he can be I'm sure he'll figure things out in no time at all.

 

Akiyama continues to impress me with how he's keeping up in one of the toughest promotions in history. If he's not some kind of superworker within three years, it'll be his fault and no one else's. He even got a nice nearfall on Misawa, of all people.

 

Kikuchi's not quite the universal punching bag he used to be, even though he took the loss here. I was a bit harsh on him in one of the later '92 threads, and he seems to have elevated his game a bit. He has a long way to go to get to Misawa and Taue's level, but he's on the right track.

 

Once again in an AJPW bout, we had the wrong finishing move. Taue and Akiyama's back suplex/clothesline combo was enough to spell the end for Kikuchi (or anyone else, for that matter) but it was the two German suplexes that got the pin. As I said in another thread, maybe a German seemed like more of a "wrestling" finish to Baba.

 

From what I gather, Kawada will be on the other side of the fence when the armies meet again down the line. It's going to be interesting to see how the dynamic changes in light of the first major switch of sides in this epic battle.

[Makai Club #1]

It’s fun seeing Kikuchi not be the lowest one on the totem pole in this match with Akiyama in the mix. Kikuchi went to town on young Jun. I’m pretty sure he fluffed a landing on the cross body and landed on Akiyama’s face. Kikuchi gets put back in his place by Fuchi however. There was some good stuff between them - I really like tests of strengths and they did a few in the beginning. Kobashi and Taue have some great exchanges down the stretch of the match as well. Kobashi also beating the hell out of Akiyama with stiff chops and then throwing Kikuchi on him was great. Note: I was typing this as the match progressed and I take back what I said about Kikuchi not being the lowest on the totem pole as Akiyama pins him. Poor Kikuchi. A good match but I thought it was a little tepid at times with Misawa coasting in the background while the other two put in the effort. Tsuruta Gun was a nice functioning team at least. ***1/2