[2000-05-20-AJPW] Stan Hansen & Johnny Smith vs Kenta Kobashi & Kentaro Shiga

[soup23]

This was a fun match to watch. Kobashi and Hanson go after each other in the early going and it is typically good stuff from them but a bit restrained. That played into the narrative of the match as things were going along smoothly until Shiga goes after Stan on the apron. Stan loses his shit and then just waylays on him with chairs and an offensive onslaught. The match is set from that point forward. We know the history of Shiga and he was never the cant miss prospect Kobashi was in 1988 but it is heartwarming seeing a red trunked, over zealous young lion go after the pissed off cowboy much in a way the now iconic guy in orange standing on the apron used to. The match from that point forward is all about if Shiga can be saved from Kobashi. He does come in at one point, but Kobashi gets taken out and it is Shiga alone vs. Smith and Hanson. He can’t be saved that time and goes down to the lariat. This is the last we see of one of the best feuds of the 90’s in Kobashi and Hanson. Truly an end of the era moment. ***1/4

[Tim Evans]

I enjoyed the Hansen/Shiga parts of this. Shiga kept trying and trying and Hansen was entertaining the idea of selling for Shiga and then just lariat's him when he's done playing. Hansen/Kobashi parts were fun. Hansen might not be able to go anymore around this time but he's still trying his best. Smith was a non factor basically.