[2002-10-12-AJPW] Genichiro Tenryu & Nobutaka Araya vs Satoshi Kojima & Taiyo Kea

[Superstar Sleeze]

Genichiro Tenryu & Nobutaka Araya vs Satoshi Kojima & Taiyo Kea - AJPW 10/12/02
 

The a very fitting match as Tenryu takes on two of his biggest up and coming rivals of 2001 and 2002. The idea of the rising lions team of Kojima & Kea is a good one and they would go on to win the Real World Tag League in December over the Zero-One team of Masato Tanaka & Shinjiro Ohtani. Unfortunately for Kea, he gets injured which derails his push. At this point, Tenryu is still Triple Crown Champion and had a successful defense against Kojima in July and in a stone cold classic. I believe the title Kojima has with him is the original MLW title. This match just missed the cut to be nominated for the Best of Japan 2000s voting as it finished in T-#33 in the voting for the best matches of Japan in 2002. 

One thing that I found interesting was that Kojima was the one to always take heat and it was Kea who came in and cleaned up his messes. I thought by this point where Kojima gets two high profile matches against Tenryu this year while Kea's major matches are more focused in the tag ranks, I though Kojima had surpassed on the totem, but that does not seem to be the case. 

This match thrives on Tenryu's grumpy, lumpy old bastard charisma, because otherwise this is a pretty routine match. I loved Tenryu's reaction to the first stiff shot by Kea was to bail and grab the ring bell. I have seen a couple Araya matches and he has had great matches with Tenryu in WAR in 1998 and in All Japan 2001 in a tag against Kawada. Here besides a few moments, he just comes across as another stiff Japanese wrestler. Kojima and Kea work a solid, but forgettable heat segment on Araya. 

I loved the transition. Kojima runs the ropes too close to Tenryu and he nails him with an enziguiri, but Kojima does not sell it like a KO blow, but rather he is pissed off and he attacks Tenryu. That's how that spot should be treated as a way for the heel to goad the babyface into being distracted. This allows Araya to attack from behind and whip Kojima into the railings while Tenryu rips the cover off the turnbuckle pad. Unlike in American wrestling, Tenryu wastes no time in using this newfound advantage bashing Kojima's head into the turnbuckle. Tenryu & Araya work a spirited heat segment on Kojima. Great punches. Araya hits a powerbomb which is the punctuation mark on this control segment, but does not feel like an exclamation point. Because we are in Mutoh's All Japan, a Dragon Leg Screw is enough for Kojima to tag out to Kea. I wish it was a bit more elaborate transition. Kea runs through his standard high spots, but he eats knees on the Vader Bomb thus starts the finish stretch. 

Tenryu comes in a house of fire beating Kea pillar to post like only he can. Kea hits his classic kick combination with his characteristically great back kick to the standing Tenryu's head (think Swerve's House Call but to a standing opponent). Kojima comes in and he does his best to kick ass, but honestly not his best effort. Tenryu blocks Kojima's lariat but Kojima blocks Tenryu's brainbuster. Tenryu blocks Ace Crusher. TENRYU CLOBBERS KOJIMA WITH A LARIAT! That was a great. Tenryu Brainbuster! Kea breaks it up and Tenryu tagged out. Araya SMOKES Kojima with a lariat! Araya brainbuster. Two Lariat/Brainbuster combos love it. Tenryu grabs the announce table and HURLS it at Kea! I LOVE IT! Tenryu rules! Araya sets up the table and just like America he who sets it, gets it. Kojima whips Araya into it. Araya is still up first and hits a moonsault! Kojima catches the Araya lariat with an Ace Crusher. Tag out to Kea. Kea tees off on Araya. Kojima gets the honor of taking out Tenryu with a lariat and really TRUCKS Araya. TKO for the win! 

Big win for the young lions who never picked up a singles win over the Old Man, but they get a win here through team work. Even though Kea got the hot tag in both instances, Kojima still played a big role in the finish with Ace Crusher on Araya and the Lariat that takes out Tenryu. Tenryu is who elevates this to very good though with his grumpy, lumpy charisma. The other three are technically great, but could use some more charisma. *** 1/2