[1996-02-20-AJPW] Stan Hansen & Gary Albright vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue

[Superstar Sleeze]

AJPW World Tag Team Champions Stan Hansen & Gary Albright vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue - AJPW 2/20/96

Been awhile since I did one of these Middle of the night Cant sleep reviews. All Japan 1996 is mostly known for the epic three-way tag team rivalry of Misawa/Akiyama, Kawada/Taue and Doc/Ace but before that we got a rivalry between the Holy Demon Army against the Texan Cowboy Stan Hansen & Nebraska Cornhusker Gary Albright. Hansen/Albright won the tag titles from the Holy Demon Army in January in a match I couldn’t find. This is the rematch and the title switch back. Wish the Hansen/Albright team got more play later on in the year. 
 

I enjoyed this match a lot we get 17:30 of a 21 minutes match and the clip is towards the beginning. I love how un-flashy this is theres isn’t a lot of high spots or MOVEZ But there is a lot of grit and struggle. You don’t get to see the Holy Demon Army play babyface very often But they do here. One of my favorite psychological angles in wrestling is when the heels wrestle to contain and the babyfaces wrestle to explode.

We see that early on from Albright and Hansen how they work to contain Taue with headlocks and front chancery. Kawada comes in with piss & vinegar and rolls on the mat with Albright. Everything is close contact body on body. Hansen and Kawada is a war. Hansen trying to contain but Kawada getting wrist control and yanking Hansen to Taue to tag out. I love that struggle. Hansen taking back over with the bodyslam and Cowboy Kick. The clip is around here which if there was going to be a clip was a good time because they set the tone and we still get to see the most important part of the match but I would love to see this in full.

Albright has Taue in a chinkock and a body scissors when we come back. Kawada breaks it up. Kawada explodes into SPINNING HEEL KICK! You finally feel like Kawada is finally going to rip the lid off. BUT Albright HURLS Kawada with German suplex which leads to one of the best heat segments I have seen in quite some time. Hansen and Albright work this heat segment as a full court press just suffocating Kawada. Kawada is able to sell in the holds and in the little gasps. I know this is sacrilegious but I prefer this to the really long stretches a Morton or a Steamboat would use to sell. There’s a time and a place for Morton-style Southern selling But I think it can be overdone. This is understated and to me more impactful. The heat segment starts as a consolidation. Hansen coming in and just going bone one bone…knees and elbows, Cowboy Kicks. Albright is the one who starts working holds that lead to progression. Albright is taking what Kawada gives him he sort of finds his way to STF. Then on his next tag follows up with the heel hook. I love how Hansen tags in and makes sure handoff of Kawada’s ankle is smooth like a baton pass in a relay race But he does not have the technical skills of Albright so his leg work is ugly and leaves him open to head kicks from Kawada but he comes back with a Single Leg Crab. All while this going on, Kawada selling pitch perfectly how much pain and agony he is in. Albright RIPS a great Belly to Belly. I loved how he went for a suplex pinning combo there keeps Kawada and the viewer off their feet. He hits a desperation enziguiri on Albright I believe. HOT TAG! Taue comes in with a Big Boot. Just when you think you’re going to get Taue House a Fire but Albright rips a suplex and goes for the cross arm breaker. Kawada can barely walk but crashes down on Albright with all his weight to break it up, 

Hansen and Albright start double teaming trucking Kawada. Hansen DDT and Powerbomb on Taue. It looks like it will be an easy win for the Americans. Hansen is loading up for the Lariat. Big Boot by Taue! Miss by Hansen! Kawada Kick to Albright! Hansen pinballs for Taue and Kawada…NODOWA~! FUCK YEAH! 1-2-3! HELL YEAH!

Kawada & Taue as the babyfaces who are in a hole against Hansen and Albright finding a way to win even though they were overwhelmed excellent story. Hansen and Albright really complement each other well… the rough & tumble Cowboy and the Collegiate Wrestler. After Hansen and Albright guzzled them, just love short & sweet Hansen Pinball into the NODOWA~! Mid-90s All Japan still surprises and titillates after all these years. ****