[1993-10-23-AJPW-October Giant Series] Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Finally! This is their first singles match after Kawada switched allegiances. The chop battle in the middle is spectacular, in the days when Kobashi could do other stuff. I marked for Kobashi blocking a Kawada kick by slapping him silly, then DDTing him. Great match between two guys who don't like each other very much and who are jockeying for position just beneath Misawa. The sleeper drama is excellent, especially when Kawada tries the Bret Hart counter and Kobashi just cinches in the move even more. Kawada's selling is also off the charts, especially the glassy-eyed selling of the first headdrop. The repeated return to the sleeper is very much like Benoit/Eddy from the BOSJ in '96. I love the stretch plum transition to the pinfall too!

 

I've always heard more talk about the 4/14 match, but this is the far superior match of the two, and it's available in full to boot! For a semi-lost in the shuffle great match, this is better than at least some of the more acclaimed Flair/Steamboat matches.

[Ditch]

This placed 46th for AJ in the '90s in my re-vote, and 8th for 1993. I had it 48th and 6th, respectively. Hell of a match. 4/14 got more Meltzer hype because IIRC he said it looked like a 5-star match.

[MJH]

See, I've never really been a fan of this match; the structure's always seemed off somehow.

 

The strike battles/staredowns in the first ten-minutes or so always felt like resets, and the lack of any sustained offence from either guy until really that sleeper sequence, it's more what I'd expect out of "ROH guys trying to do All Japan" rather than All Japan guys themselves. The moonault, too, came far too early and felt really wasted.

 

I mean, I think I get what they were going for: I think the idea is they're equal, no one gets any real momentum, and it seems Kobashi makes the breakthrough with the sleeper but that only leads into Kawada getting the real breakthrough by suplexing him to hell. There's something in that, and it's a cute twist given how both the Misawa/Kawada and Doc/Kobashi matches went, but it never really felt as concrete with me. I don't think Kobashi should've gotten anything out of his hope-spot there either where he actually hits a backdrop that Kawada ends up covering him off. The finish just seemed off.

 

I don't know, I'm presuming it worked more for you guys, and it was still, y'know, "very good", and a Top 30-ish match on the set, but I've never felt it was unjustly overlooked given both what came out of AJ in 1993, and the better stuff they'd do together over the years.

[Ditch]

They absolutely had better matches after this. No doubt that there are some flaws; I thought there were problems with both the length and some of the last transitions. But there's lots of intensity and a "Kobashi never says die but Kawada keeps plugging away" story, capped off by a unique finish.

[WingedEagle]

Bonus points here for the stretch plum setting up a pinfall finish. It made that spot so much bigger in the tag league / carnival finals and all of Kawad's big matches basically until he won the TC.

[Zenjo]

They brought a strong intensity to the whole contest with plenty of rivalry psychology. It was nearly 30m although it didn't feel that long. There was certainly excitement as Kawada survived everything that Kobashi could throw at him. I certainly enjoyed it, yet throughout the whole thing something was bugging me. The structure was hard to follow. There were stages where I couldn't tell you where they were in the match. On the surface it was excellent, but the underlying work wasn't that strong.

 

Still, 3rd tier classic AJ is still equal to or better than top matches from many other promotions.

[Kevin Ridge]

Love that half crab that was increased to a version with Kawada pulling back more while stepping on the back of Kobashi's head. Kawada engages Kobashi into a great chop battle which he loses. Later on was great KO chop by Kawada. Crowd was into Stretch Plum as possible finish. Kobashi with a sleeper of his own. Been mentioned by others in theses threads but AJPW did need to protect submission more in the long term. It actually just sets up the pinfall as Kobashi passes out. Should have been a submission finish instead. Thought it was excellent up to the overuse of the backdrop suplex by both guys in the last few minutes.

[PeteF3]

I thought this took awhile to get going, and post-2000 puro has soured me on the long chop battles that I'm sure were really cool and novel when this first took place. The holds are worked really well, though--especially the Boston crab. Down the stretch this gets a whole lot better, and Kobashi really comes off as a gritty tough guy rather than the plucky young underdog role he's been in for most of his career. Hansen and Doc were bases for his flashy offense--more or less. Here he's just straight up slapping Kawada in the face and transitioning to offense because of it. Unfortunately he's not quite there yet, and after a gallant effort and a couple more comebacks than I actually expected, Kawada puts him out with the Stretch Plum and then pins him.

 

Agreed with Kevin that it's too bad AJPW got away from submissions, because they used them really well in 1991-92. Seemingly everyone had a hold that could legitimately take people out--even Kobashi, who'll never be confused with Dean Malenko, had a backbreaker that he put a few undercarders away with.

[ohtani's jacket]

#270

 

I enjoyed this far more than I expected to. I could never get into Kawada's matches with Kobashi in the past, and I even had a shitty PAL transfer of this match with washed out colours. I know Loss has spoken about how he prefers the Kawada/Kobashi dynamic to Kobashi vs. Misawa. I'm not sure how he'd articulate that dynamic outside of both guys vying to be the number one contender to the Triple Crown ace spot, but this was a match that kept building, and building and they kept doing cool shit on the mat and with their strikes. Great stretch run. Great selling. Great cross cutting between their selling. Great crowd heat. Great finish. As Bill Russell said to Wilt Chamberlain upon the Sixers beating the Celtics in '67: "great, baby. Great."

[JKWebb]

#270 - placetobenation.com/countdown-top-500-matches-of-the-90s-300-251/2/

 

I loved the staredown after the opening matwork, then the big slap from Kawada. It looked like it actually caused Kobashi's mouth to bleed a little bit. What a spin kick from Kawada onto Kobashi. The Kobashi head chops that led into the Kawada neck chops - what a great spot. They looked absolutely brutal. Kobashi's intensity level was fantastic while working that facelock on Kawada. I also loved his kick to the top of Kawada's head while getting out of (likely) a powerbomb (could have been a piledriver). This had such an incredible finishing stretch. This was great.

[garretta]

I'm not a big structure guy or anything like that; I just know that I like to see two guys beating the hell out of each other whenever I can, and that's what happened here. The first half was a little underwhelming with the constant no-selling of chops, then they started working holds and this picked up exponentially. By the two-thirds mark it was obvious that at least one of these two, if not both, wasn't leaving without help. As it turned out, Kenta didn't.

 

The one major complaint I had was that the referee was slow to check on Kawada in the sleeper when Kenta had him visibly out cold at least twice. Part of the drama of the sleeper is seeing the ref check the arm and wondering if it will stay up or not, and we didn't get that here. The one time he did ​check the arm, Kawada got out of the hold with a back suplex.

 

As I mentioned earlier, it was bit tiresome to see these two chop in each other in the chest to no avail, but whoever came up with the idea of having Kawada chop Kenta in the side of the head was a genius. It was those chops, more than the suplexes or even the stretch plum, that scrambled Kenta's brains for good. As hard as Kawada can hit at times, I wouldn't be surprised if Kenta left Budokan Hall that night with a concussion.

 

I agree about it being weird that the stretch plum was used to set up the pin, especially since it was clear that Kenta was unconscious and was unable to submit (or not) on his own. I guess Baba thought that no one would buy Kenta as a serious competitor going forward if he was seen as a quitter, even an unwitting one. It really didn't make much of a difference either way, as things turned out.

 

As Pete said, this match marked Kenta's official transition from plucky youngster to main event player, and he certainly showed that he was ready for that transition, even in defeat. I can't agree with Loss that this was better than a Flair-Steamboat match, though; those matches were for the NWA World title in most cases, while this one was an unofficial number-one contender's match for a company championship. If one of these two had been Triple Crown champion at this time, I could understand Loss's case a bit better, although I probably wouldn't agree with it. Still, it's my unofficial All-Japan Singles Match of the Year up to this point, and with the Tag League coming up, I doubt there's much competition remaining for that spot.

[soup23]

10/23 was a hell of a day for great wrestling. This has an odd structure on the surface as these guys have been going at it in the build up so the tentative start was a surprise. I did see the opening as a way of each other sizing the other one up and not wanting to make that first critical mistake. The strikes throughout this match were really impressive. Just tons of chops and kicks to arms and other areas that looked unique and varied. The ending run is also insanely dramatic and really plays a role in the hierarchy for AJ moving forward in the decade. Kawada puts Kobashi away with the stretch plum pin which made perfect sense given the strategy of the sleeper throughout the match. Wonderful stuff and only behind 6/98 in their singles matches together IMO. ****1/2

[Superstar Sleeze]

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.