[1995-04-08-AJPW-Championship Carnival] Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Ditch]

My thoughts from '07:

 

"...right there with their 1/91 match. The exchanges, the sequences, the stiffness (stiff Taue lariats?!), the nearfalls (credible Taue regular powerbomb nearfall?!), the selling, the contunuity... it's alllll there. I especially like the way they show that Taue has grown from the past as he refuses to let Kawada make a comeback from the big spot of the match."

 

This match has been slept on. Put it at Budokan, re-do it move-for-move, and it would have been a worthy final. For one tour, Taue was the best of the 'corners'.

[Loss]

How does this compare to the '93 match?

[jdw]

This is about what you'd expect 1995 Kawada and 1995 Taue to do, so the expectations are different... higher.

 

There's no doubt some freshness to their earlier ones: they're younger workers, they're different from what they'd become and how we see them, and the feuding/rivalry/hate is on display. Expectations, especially for Taue of that era, are lower.

 

It's easier for a 1991 match between them to exceed expectations than a 1995 match, because expectations are so high.

 

To me, this is far and away their best worked match.

 

John

[Ditch]

How does this compare to the '93 match?

Bests it handily. As JDW says, they were better in '95 and accordingly had a better match.

[jdw]

It's rather sad that they didn't take this approach in their sole TC match against each other. It's possible they were, as I still have a feeling that Taue started heading towards the finish early, and that Kawada had more match left in the tank mentally.

 

John

[Loss]

I thought this was magnificent. I would call it my MOTY at this point. So much good stuff to talk about, so let me try to organize my thoughts.

 

The whole approach to this match is to make Taue's win seem inevitable. They create doubt over it at times, but that's the whole point of the match. Even when Kawada is in control, this match is about Taue, which is a credit to both guys understanding the booking purpose and building a match accordingly. When Kawada has Taue in the stretch plum, there are "TAUE!" chants. There are never Kawada chants at any point because Kawada never puts himself in a position to be sympathetic. It's by design. Mission accomplished.

 

To this point, I like that there is a continuity between this match and Taue's earlier match with Kobashi. The Kobashi match had him throwing his usual opening bag of tricks at Taue and Taue asserting himself. Here, Kawada tried the same, and met the same result as Kobashi. Kawada tries distancing himself and Taue follows him, getting Irish whipped into the guardrail. This gets paid off later in the match when Kawada tries the same thing again and Taue is prepared this time, coming back with a big lariat on the floor.

 

Taue is also performing at a much higher level than he was in January, even when doing the same things. Doing the neck vice in the middle of a big flurry of stuff took the momentum of the match down a notch in the January tag. Here, it made sense (and was applied much better) because he was already targeting Kawada's neck. Kawada responds by getting Taue in some nasty submissions, including one where he is stepping on his head while pushing his legs into forced splits, and another where he is hyperextending both arms while pushing his head into the mat.

 

No matter what Kawada throws at Taue -- and he throws quite a bit at him -- Taue consistently comes back. In the closing moments, Kawada seems to hit a realization that he can't beat Taue in this match, so he starts actively seeking a draw. After the nodowa on the floor, Taue throws Kawada in, and Kawada rolls back out. When Taue tries to cover him, he is still trying to get away, and at this point, it's clear that if Taue can keep Kawada in one place, he is going to win this match. Even when Kawada manages to get in a strike, Taue is to his feet first. When he's finally able to execute the dynamic bomb, he gets the win.

 

This works both as a match and as a moment. If the Misawa/Taue final and September match are better than this (which based on hype, I'd expect), I'm in for some great stuff.

[silverwidow]

If the Misawa/Taue final and September match are better than this (which based on hype, I'd expect), I'm in for some great stuff.

The Carny Final is something I'd put in the "elite" tier of AJPW singles (up there with epics like 7/93 Hansen/Kobashi and 6/3/94). Best performance of Misawa's career, IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if you drop five stars on it.

[smkelly]

If the Misawa/Taue final and September match are better than this (which based on hype, I'd expect), I'm in for some great stuff.

Oh, definitely. 1995 was an excellent year for All Japan. I'm thinking several five-star matches will be from All Japan on your list, though, I have been surprised by a few of them already, so maybe not

[Tim Evans]

Another awesome match from All Japan. I use to think that Kobashi was the best of the All Japan 4 but I think my pick now is Kawada. Just so incredibly stiff. Love the Lariats and Taue's enzugiri. Match of the Year so far.

[PeteF3]

Fantastic stuff again. I really, REALLY liked that '93 match, but maybe this does rank ahead for the more satisfying payoff. I've talked about how Kawada has had a 1-step- forward, 2-steps-back push at times, but this really felt like an elevation for Taue despite all the high-profile jobs Kawada has done and despite the fact that this isn't a "new" result. Taue takes the advantage early with a nodowa off the bat, and despite some awesome leg work by Kawada including an incredibly funky early submission hold, this really feels like Taue's match. Top 10 MOTY so far, I'd say.

[Matt D]

I want to see this, actually. I'm going to go out of my way and watch this soon.

[Zenjo]

You'd have never guessed these two were tag partners if you hadn't known. They launched straight into battle and never took a backwards step. Terrific workrate throughout. It never felt like a draw was on the cards. One of the things I love about Taue is that he wouldn't take the worst of it in an exchange because of ego. Because of their pride Kawada, Kobashi and Akiyama would keep exchanging strikes even in situations when their opponent had the upper hand. Taue was all business, he wrestled to win.

 

This was an impressive level throughout and got better the longer it progressed. They battled back and forth until Taue landed the ring apron nodawa. Kawada was in trouble and went into defensive survival mode. He was rolling away and Akira was chasing after him, trying to catch his prey. A high end finish that helps make this a top 10 match for 1995. The result was an upset yet didn't feel like one. It simply felt right and just. The duration, the layout, the final move. All spot on. Taue was on fire and peaking.

[fxnj]

Absolute masterclass in storytelling here. I kind of feel like I watched a different match than the people who make this out as nonstop action from the opening bell. If anything, they seemed kind of timid from the start as Kawada just did a few chops before trying to work some holds. I guess the early story was that they were tag partners and both guys wanted to win without hurting the other too much. They start looking for big moves relatively early as well, which makes me think they just want a quick win without killing the other guy. Through all this, though, a theme starts to emerge that Taue really has Kawada scouted, as he repeatedly finds ways to counter Kawada's moves better than anyone seen thus far.

 

As the action starts to escalate, I notice a really nice detail in play in how Taue knows refuses to engage Kawada in striking battle, presumably because he knows he can't win, and always finds some other move to catch Kawada off guard. Of course, it's gonna take more than a few nice counters to take Kawada down, and Taue does turn in a really good sympathetic performance when Kawada gets a chance to unload. Still, Taue just keeps surviving and Kawada starts selling the frustration as he just can't seem to put Taue away.

 

This all leads to an amazing, beautiful moment late in the match when they're both on the ring apron and Kawada is ruthlessly high kicking away at Taue. Kawada is clearly flustered whilst Taue holds the ropes to stop from falling down, but you get this sneaky feeling from when he defiantly hoists himself up that this is exactly where he wants the match to be. And just like that, he catches Kawada with a nodowa off the apron and pretty much has him beat right there. This match would be a classic just for that sequence alone. Anyway, Kawada tries to roll around for a bit to stall, presumably in an attempt to run down the clock, but there's no escape from Taue. Pretty soon thereafter, Taue hits the dynamic bomb for an incredible upset win.

 

Bit of a slow burner, but they definitely paid everything off by the end. I'm not sure if I'd call this clearly better than their 1/91 match as it lacks the same visceral punch, though it's definitely a deeper match from a standpoint of selling and psychology. By no means is this a bad match from an action point-of-view, but it's the cerebral aspects that put it over the top ****1/2

[Superstar Sleeze]

Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue - AJPW 4/8/95

It is very interesting in both tag partner vs tag partner they went into full bore with no reservations. 

THE HOLY DEMON ARMY EXPLODES~! Had to. Taue has a victory on Kobashi and Kawada has drawn Misawa thus for Kawada to advance to the Champions Carnival he needs a victory here and a victory over Kobashi and hope Taue does not beat Misawa. This match is wrestled with this idea in mind. Kawada needs the win more than Taue and thus goes out there and wrestles more aggressively than his partner. Taue, much like in the Kobashi, does his usual throwdown defense, but Kawada catches him early with a wicked, short spinning heel kick. (2020 Martin: I think I was underestimating Taue's will to win. Taue CRACKED him with a slap triggering a great Kawada stumble on his ass sell. There was a great throwdown Nodowa that Kawada sold the back of his head well on the outside. Honestly I thought Kawada was getting routed until the kick to the head in the corner and the aforementioned spinning hell kick)

 

Kawada is on offense for the majority of the match and employs some wicked submissions, which is something that All Japan matches lacked. (2020 Martin: I am disappointed in myself for not making an auto-fellatio joke given how Kawada was stretching him at one point). This works twofold to put Kawada over a sadistic sum bitch who needs the win and Taue as a sympathetic underdog. (2020 Martin: I do agree that Taue became very sympathetic in this match). Taue times his hope spots well using a Tenryu-style enziguri and his snake eyes moves well, but Kawada remains in command. (2020 Martin: I am underrating the Taue clothesline on the outside and the Snake Eyes on the guardrail) Kawada relies heavily on his explosive kicks to stymie any Taue flurries. (2020 Martin: Kawada uses the Spinning Heel Kick and Cowboy Kick twice. Stretch Plum is used as a mid-match nearfall of sorts) The tension in the match is derived from Kawada’s urgency to win, but Taue is not letting it become a Kawada exhibition. (2020 Martin: Kinda right. I think the other part of the tension is we all know Taue has these huge bombs and hasnt hit them yet and when he does hit the series of NODOWAS around the 15 minute mark business picks up. The way they set it up with Kawada hitting Kawada kicks and Kawada knees and eventually Taue just gets so fed up that he shoves him on his ass popped the crowd huge. It was like the little kid finally standing up to the bully. It was a great moment!) Taue does deliver a DDT onto exposed concrete and a couple Nodowas. (2020 Martin: The Exposed Concrete DDT was a huge spot. Really cemented Taue's advantage) In the ultimate display of desperation in puroresu, Kawada uses a closed fist to quash this turn of events. (2020 Martin: I didnt see this. I rewound and everything I saw a Spinning Heel Kick turn the tide and then a Jumping High Kick cemented the advantage resulting in a hot nearfall of a Kawada powerbomb.)

 

I never thought I would say so-so is the greatest wrestler at using apron, but Godamnit Taue is the greatest apron wrestler ever. The best sequence of the match is when Kawada Yakuza Kick (high kick to face) on Taue on the apron. Taue returns the closed fist from earlier to set up Taue’s big bomb: the Nodowa to the floor!!!! (2020 Martin: Terrific sequence! High drama as they walk the tight rope! Whoever wins that apron sequence wins the match...great stuff!)

 

Kawada, similarly to Kobashi, sells it like death and the end is inevitable for Kawada as he falls to Super Nodowa (rolls away) and ultimately the DYNAMIC BOMB~! (2020 Martin: Terrific finish!)

Best match of the Carnival so far, it does not blow away the competition, but I liked this match the most because of Taue coming from behind and besting Kawada in the upset. (2020 Martin: I disagree with myself. I liked the Taue vs Kobashi match better more urgency & energy, but I dont dispute my own point that come from behind victory for Taue was satisfying). As these two are partners, I think Kawada busting out new tricks was his way of keeping his partner off balance. However, Kawada was not able to wrangle Taue into his powerbomb or DANGEROUS~! Backdrop driver, which are his bread and butter. (2020 Martin: 2012 Martin is wrong, Kawada did hit his powerbomb after a Spinning Heel Kick & Jumping High Kick. It was a really strong nearfall because Kawada was the odds on favorite to win). Taue kept his offense very true to form and used his size advantage over his partner to connect with his moves. (2020 Martin: I wouldnt just say size, but all his tenacity. He would just get fed up and ROAR~!) It almost felt like some an act of hubris with Kawada willing to engage his junior partner on the apron knowing full well what happened to Kobashi. Taue with two victories is guaranteed a trip to the finals with this victory, who have thought Taue would be the one 2-0. Taue is definitely on fire in this tournament. ****1/2

[Calvin]

Structurally similar to Taue's match with Kobashi on 3/21, but informed more by inter-team competitiveness instead of rivalry. Neither wrestler will lay down for the other despite their camaraderie, even getting downright nasty with each other at points, and it culminates with Taue killing Kawada dead in one of the best matches of the year.

****1/2