|
|
Post by microstatistics on Jan 14, 2018 16:06:45 GMT -5
Kawada's masterpiece. Not his best match but easily his best performance. One of the definite wrestler vs shooter matches with Kawada trying to find ways to survive the suplexes and submissions of the monster Albright. Definitely a contender.
|
|
|
|
Post by gordi on Jan 14, 2018 20:44:05 GMT -5
Seconded. It's kind of the mirror universe version of Vader vs Takada, in that instead of having a huge pro wrestler go into a shoot style promotion, we've got.a huge shoot stylist making his way to All Japan. Mostly, Kawada adjusts to Albright's style here, and it certainly is a great performance on Kawada's part. I wish we had seen even more work like this out of Kawada, but at least he gave us this classic. Albright is great in his role here, too.
|
|
|
|
Post by fxnj on Jan 14, 2018 23:08:38 GMT -5
Thirded. Easy nomination. Not only is it one of Kawada's best performances, it's definitely Albright's best with him looking like an absolute beast here. Crowd is also tremendous and really helps elevate this into feeling special.
If you want to see Kawada work like this again, there's a great match with Tamon Honda on Youtube from a few months after this where they both go BattlArts. The 2003 Ogawa match is also quite good, though I'm guessing you've seen that.
|
|
|
|
Post by gordi on Jan 14, 2018 23:14:25 GMT -5
I actually haven't seen the Ogawa match!
Allow me to return the favour by recommending Vader & Tenta vs Albright & Yamazaki if you want to see another great Albright performance.
|
|
|
|
Post by marksman on Aug 14, 2018 8:46:49 GMT -5
Oh wow! I often struggle to get into matches with commentary I don't understand/no commentary, and I'm trying to get past that because I really want to try more Japanese stuff, but this lured me in right from those first brutal kicks by Kawada. Loved the kicks, loved Allbright tossing Kawada around, loved the selling and the amazing facials. (And despite not actually understanding the commentary, it did a great job of conveying excitement anyway.) Amazing match, and yeah, the crowd being so hot definitely helped.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cap on Aug 14, 2018 10:16:57 GMT -5
I saw some Albright clips the other day. I need to watch/rewatch some of his stuff. Fucking hell. That dude was an animal.
|
|
|
|
Post by elliott on Aug 14, 2018 16:15:25 GMT -5
Oh funny, I just watched this match the other day. It is definitely a great match. I don't think it hits the level I need to strongly consider it, but it is one of the hundreds of matches I don't think would look odd on someone's list.
The match has gotten a lot of praise over the last 20 years as one of Kawada's best individual performances if not necessarily his best match. And I do get it. Especially when you compare this match to Albright's matches against Misawa and Kobashi, this one definitely stands out. This is a really good example of a great wrestler figuring out how to work to the strengths of a more limited opponent in order to craft an excellent match. Albright's strengths are pretty obvious: He's enormous and throws devastating suplexes. He's kind of a less charismatic, less mobile, not as good of a seller version of Brock Lesnar. That seems like a backhanded compliment, but Albright definitely has some positives he can bring to the table.
I know people point to this as an example of Kawada's versatility in comparison to the other AJPW big guns. He shows an ability to work "shoot style" while mixing in great selling and timing. And I get that. But I didn't find Kawada's mat work to be super impressive. It was good and he did the right things, but Kawada isn't nearly as fluid or polished (as a mat worker/grappler) as the great shoot style workers when it comes to countering and applying holds. Kawada's grappling is a lot more Takada than Tamura or Fujiwara. But part of that is going to be because of Albright, who wasn't exactly a guy known for smooth mat work. I thought the best parts of the match were the early moments with Kawada going after Albright with his big kicks. To me this isn't an "OMG KAWADA CAN DO SHOOT STYLE!" match. Its just a "Kawada is a damn smart worker to figure out how to get a match this good out of Albright."
The one spot I didn't like at all is one that actually got a bunch of praise in the PWO thraed about this match. It was Kawada's sell of Albright's big german suplex. When Kawada tried to no sell pop up, but was still out on his feet and fell out of the ring. I really thought that was a major over sell unless the match was going to end shortly thereafter with an Albright win. I generally hate the Kawada "dead on his feet" or "crumpling to the ground" no sell that has always gotten tons of praise. If you're knocked out to that extent, it should really be a match ending moment. But it never is. I don't really see how people can criticize Flair's stock defensive spots, yet Kawada gets praise for that consistently ridiculous over sell he does in every match.
Everything up until that spot I thought was really good-great and overall I did enjoy this and thought it held up as a great match.
To Cap, I would say not to have enormous expectations when you look at Albright matches. He's going to come off better in clips. "Poor Man's Brock Lesnar" is probably a pretty good description. He's an enormous human being who is going to be credible forever just based on his size. If someone wants to say ALbright threw the best suplexes in wrestling history, it is honestly not a point I would argue against. He fucking kills people with suplexes. He doesn't have the selling chops or charisma that Lesnar does, but his size and suplexes make it possible to carry him to a great match.
The Kawada match has long been considered his best match. Other than that, his series with Nobuhiko Takada was always praised. I can't remember the last time I watched any of those matches to be honest, but I will say the 6/94 one has historically been my favorite of their matches. When I watched the August 94 match against Tamura for my Tamura Complete & Accurate, I was super impressed by the quality of their match. But it was really for all of the same reasons one would like this or the Takada matches. Tamura figures out how to work around a limited opponent to build a really dramatic and compelling match playing to Albright's strengths. The Tamura match is a little slower paced with Tamura slowly trying to figure out how he can work around Albright's ridiculous mass in order to lock on a submission. The teases and build to Albright's suplexes are great (I don't think he hits one for the first 8 or 9 minutes) and when he finally lands them, they are some of the most crushing suplexes you've ever seen. That's a great match.
Anyway, if you're interested in Gary, I'd take a look at that Tamura match and the Takada matches. After that he starts to run thin and I don't think any of his matches are really viable contenders for my list.
|
|
|
|
Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 4, 2020 22:53:17 GMT -5
I have this quite a bit before as it is pretty famous. This is pretty much the go-to look-see Kawada is more versatile than Misawa and Kobashi match. It had been a while since I had seen this and this snuck up on me. Kawada has become my third favorite Corner and on some days I prefer Taue. This match made me love him again. This is indeed Kawada's individual masterpiece. It wont make my list. This is the match every Kawada defender should begin the conversation in defending Kawada against the other Corners. None of them could have had this great of a match with Albright. I saw the Misawa title defense and it is very good and standard Misawa. I would have loved to seen what Kobashi would have done one on one. Kawada was excellent in melding Shoot-Style and King's Road together. Another thing as I was reading my review back that is interesting, this match made Kawada feel like a super duper star, a real rockstar. In terms of fan appeal, I always felt he was in the shadow of Misawa then Kobashi. He broke free once they left for NOAH and he felt huge during the war with New Japan. Here again he feels like the biggest star on Earth.
Toshiaki Kawada vs Gary Albright - AJPW 10/25/95
I've this match a couple times and I thought it was great, but not necessarily a classic. They instantly blew my expectations out of the water with this kickass match. When I was watching this 10-15 years ago, I didnt get how big of a deal UWFi was. I watched Vader vs Takada and knew about the UWFi invasion of NJPW, but I didnt fully grasp. Now that I have I become more steeped in puroresu history and watched a lot of UWFi, I get it, but I also part of the novelty is that 90s All Japan did NOT do matches like this. It was the Four Corners and later Akiyama with the top gaijins of Hansen, Doc and Ace in a mix and match. So this was the closest thing All Japan did a big money interpromotional dream match in the 90s. I prefer Hashimoto vs Takada to this, but this blew Mutoh vs Takada out of the water.
Huge Fight Feel! Budokan is rocking! It feels that Albright is instantly over as a monster. Holy shit! Listen to the reaction of him grabbing a reverse waistlock! You think he just hit the greatest highspot in the world! He just wrapped his arms around a person's body. That's when you know you are fucking over. I like how Albright evaded the typical Kawada kick to get out of the German Suplex. Then Alright just pounced and Kawada retaliated with a deep heel hook. Loved the urgency set the tone for the match. Kawada did a greta job playing by Albright's rules respecting his size advantage and his shoot credentials without looking overwhelmed. Kawada brought the fight to Albright early on. That enziguiri rocked him and that flurry of strikes was so over and I dont think Kawada looked better in the 90s. Then Albright finally got hold of him. The takedowns and suplexes took their toll. An early cross-armbreaker caused Kawada to powder. I liked Albright immediately going for the Fujiwara armbar. I liked how they built to the German Suplexes. He was hitting other suplexes but Kawada was avoiding that one. After a belly 2 belly and a powerslam, Albright hit the massive German. Kawada did one of his classic selljobs and collapsed to the outside. That was his only saving grace as by the time Alright rolled him back in, Kawada could kick out.
With the German not winning him the match, Alright tried to up the ante to the Dragon Suplex but Kawada hoists him into the Back Drop Driver. STRETCH PLUM~! Watch the Stretch Plum, you can tell Kawada is having the time of his life. I think he is out to prove to Baba and everyone there's more to wrestling than just King's Road. Also he feels like a super duper star. He was first in the shadow of Misawa and then Kobashi, but in matches like this and against New Japan in 2000 that Kawada feels like a huge star instead of second fiddle. He was so over on this night. After the Stretch Plum, he goes for the Powerbomb, nothing doing and MACK TRUCK LARIAT! Albright does not bump. That was just man on man! Wow! Albright counters the next Lariat with a kneelift. They go to the ground, Albright gets a double wristlock and then rides a harmmerlock on the bad arm of Kawada. Albright wants the Dragon Suplex. Kawada breaks free, Spinning Back Chop, KAPPO KICK! Albright armdrag goes for a Cross Armbreaker but Kawada counters into his own for the flash win.
I think the finish was a little too easy and quick. Albright had wrist control and almost the cross armbreaker applied it was too easy for Kawada to just stand up and apply his own. One thing I am forever grateful towards Shoot Style wrestling is how it forced pro wrestling to respect the cross armbreaker. So at least the hold was feared, sold well and used as a finisher in this match. Kawada going over was the right call but I thought Albright looked great in the loss and no reason why he couldnt be used the down the line. I am interested in Misawa's 96 title defense against Albright. Albright's size and suplex arsenal was on display but Kawada showed off his striking game and his ability to counter. A big feather in Kawada's cap proving he could classic matches outside of his Four Corners opponents and in a different style. Check out his match against Naoya Ogawa from Zero-One 2003. I'll be honest I had been enjoying the other three Corners a lot more when I was watching '93 and '94 back. I think the other three has such big personalities. Kawada just wasnt clicking with me. He really did here. I saw the fire in his eyes and pep in his step. He had been missing that in some matches. If you want to make the case for Kawada being the best of the Four Corners, it starts here and showing his versatility, urgency, passion and asskicking nature. ****1/2
|
|
