[1995-07-20-AJPW] Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas

[Superstar Sleeze]

AJPW World Tag Team Champions Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas - AJPW 7/20/95

It is very interesting watching the Four Corners in unheralded matches against midcarders. This is a title defense that was clearly taped for TV or VHS release. So they have a reason to put in effort but at the same time this is not the Budokan, it is NOT Misawa/Kobashi, it is NOT Hansen or Doc. I was very intrigued to see how this match played out. 

JDW would often use the term "fall out of bed" match and this is what like it felt to me. Kawada and Taue did their normal high spots. They like Kroffat & Furnas do their shit, but they werent exactly selling or trying to make them look good. It felt tepid and just going through the motions. The other style I would liken this to is early 2000s Ring of Honor. There is a lot of short segments and a lot of action, but short on story. Early 2000s ROH is wrestled with such competitive ferocity, it is of higher quality than this. Which is just a ton of action but ton in a tepid style with not much sense of progression. All this sounds harsh. I still thought it was a good match, but for a team that literally just had the best match ever, I expected a bit more. I acknowledge that holding any wrestler to a 4 star+ standard every bout is ridiculous but it is very interesting to watch the All Japan boys in this context because it makes you realize they are human too. 

I guess a quick word on Kroffat (aka Phil LaFon) and Furnas I have seen some of their matches, I really need to review that Kobashi/Kikuchi match. Overall they are a fun little workrate team. They are short on charisma but long on athleticism. I have neutral feelings towards them. They clearly took the match very seriously, it was a big spot for them, but I think like many in the 90s and beyond they focused too much on the "what" (highspots, action, MOVEZ~!) and not enough on the "how" (how can do I this in a way that I stand out and people remember me). 

Kroffat/Furnas overwhelm Kawada/Taue early at the bell. They hit some kicks and high flying moves that force the Champions to powder. It is unclear babyface/heel dynamics. Kawada/Taue are native heels, but if they are wrestling a gaijin team do they become babyfaces? This didnt really feel like a babyface shine but it is because Kawada/Taue didnt really sell it as such I would say. Kroffat hit an early Tiger Driver. After the fast break, Kroffat grabs a hold and Kawada hits his spin kick basically shrugs it off. Kawada/Taue basically dont really sell the fast break after that and just act like the match has started. The basic story for this middle section is Kroffat or Furnas try to work a hold but Kawada or Taue use a high impact move to get out of it and get a tag. 

The match has a sense of progress once Kroffat starts to make in-roads on Kawada and Taue feels some desperation about this. Also interesting is that Kawada has a Triple Crown match at the Budokan in 4 days against Misawa. However, it is Taue that looks like he is batting clean-up. Kawada would get in trouble and Taue would be the momentum-changer. 1995 Taue is a whole different beast. Anyways, Kroffat misses a senton due to a Taue distraction. Taue proceeds to Randy Orton Kroffat on the outside with two wicked back suplexes on the announce table. I love that spot whether it is Taue or Orton doing it. 

Now we get a sense of control here with Kawada/Taue working over Kroffat, but even that doesnt last long. When Furnas does come in, they work his leg again a sense of control but again it doesnt last long. Again it comes out of desperation as Furnas was a house of fire (dropsault and Frankensteiner( and was trying to German Suplex Taue. Taue flailed out of it and then immediately went for the kneecrusher. I like those type of reactions. That keeps match decidely on the good side. I just wish the transitions to Kroffat and Furnas tagging out were more emphatic. 

Kawada saves Taue from a Tiger Driver with nice head kick. Kawada applies the Stretch Plum and Taue goes to the single leg crab for double submission. Taue goes for the Super Nodowa and Furnas saves. Furnas & Kroffat are hitting a lot of stuff but it has no pizzazz. Loved Kawada powerbombing Furnas on his second Frankensteiner attempt. Should have been the finish. Furnas ugly Misawa-rana out of the second Kawada Powerbomb. Taue saves Kawada from Tiger Driver to boos. Kroffat superkicks him and hits it anyways in a very 21st Century exchange. Kawada kicks out. Taue clobbers him. It is a very busy match. Taue comes in officially kicks some ass powerbombs him. We tease the Move of 1995...Nodowa off the Apron which always gets me going. Furnas saves Kroffat. Nodowa on Furnas and Dangerous Back Drop Driver on Kroffat! Kick out! Super Nodowa gets the win for Taue! 

For Taue fans, this is a great watch, he looks like a monster and the MVP of his team. I could see Kroffat & Furnas getting over with the internet crowd today and leading to a lot of lamentations why they dont get a bigger push. It was a big stage for them and just felt like they didnt have the charisma for the stage. A very busy match, but still good. *** 1/2