[2005-11-19-AJPW] Satoshi Kojima vs Kensuke Sasaki

[Superstar Sleeze]

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Satoshi Kojima vs Kensuke Sasaki – AJPW 11/19/05

TAKE THAT DREAM! Always gets me pumped up! I cant believe in 2005 Stan Hansen cant correctly pronounce “Kensuke”. Kojima is over like rover with this crowd. The All Japan crowds are basically cut in half from the 2003-2004 era, but man these 5000-6000 people fucking love Kojima. I have to admit I have really grown fond of the hip soccer mom about to do the Numa Numa dance mutafucka. However that being said…

This is an incredible Sasaki offensive performance and it is Kojima that brings this match down a peg. Kojima does not bring anything different to the table. He comes across as a poor man’s Sasaki. This is not Kobashi vs Sasaki at the Dome where two equals, two big burly meat heads were just laying into each other. Every time Kojima was going that route he didn’t look nearly as good as Sasaki. It was glaring on every chop exchange or lariat that Sasaki was hitting harder and his shit was just better looking. I still enjoyed the match and just like the crowd they whipped me into a frenzy BUT I have to go back to my biggest issue with Kojima he just doesn’t have his own identity. He was trying too hard to be a little bit of every big star from 90s rather than finding what worked for him. I think the plucky underdog that everyone loves was a place to start, but it is too late now. He is capable of great things and I really enjoyed his matches with Tenryu and Hashimoto. I liked this as well, but it falls short of great for that reason.

I really enjoyed the shoulder tackle battle to start. Sasaki really bowls him over and that sets the tone that Sasaki has come to play. I thought Sasaki’s chops looked great and probably felt terrible. When Kojima came back with those dinky elbows it just paled in comparison with what I just saw from Sasaki. I think there was a way to get Kojima on offense but I wish he didn’t try to go toe to toe with Sasaki but rather used a different strategy to gain the advantage. That being said Kojima was WAY MORE OVER than Sasaki. Big Kojima at the opening bell and when he did a Finger Gun before an elbow drop the whole crowd shouted something in unison.

I thought Sasaki’s work on the outside was awesome. The big top rope crossbody which is a staple of his wiped out Kojima. The powerslam followed by the Northern Lights Bomb was sick! It was an electric moment. This is an area where Kojima excelled in really milking this moment and getting the crowd behind. They really let Northern Lights Bomb on the Floor feel like a turning point in the match. Big Kojima chants ring out. Sasaki Bulldozes him with a lariat to show he is King of the Mountain. When Kojima does get back in, Sasaki just manhandles him and puts on a great offensive display of throws, slams (Tejana Bomb!) and Lariat Sandwich. Again it is the transition back to Kojima’s offense that fails them as they running the ropes Kojima who has just taken all this badass high impact offense, just grabs a couple Ace Crushers to transition. Funnily enough, it is Sasaki who throws either a Dragon or German Suplex to do the levelling playing field spot as if he was the one who was coming from behind. The crowd loudly chants for Kojima.

Kojima is pretty much in control in the home stretch. He wins the battle of next big high impact move Emerald Flowsion versus the Northern Lights Bomb. I really appreciated how stiff his knees were to the top of Sasaki’s head to counter the Northern Lights Bomb. You felt the desperation and urgency. Then it becomes a Lariat battle. I liked each man lariating the other’s Lariat. It is Kojima with Hansen in attendance BLASTING away at Sasaki to win with a barrage of Lariats. Sasaki hands down has the better lariat, BUT when it came crunch time, those two Kojima lariats at the end delivered the goods.

Sasaki’s offensive performance and like the crowd I was whipped into frenzy is enough to put this in great territory, BUT Kojima’s transitions to offense keep this at ****.